Unity is irreversible! Today, renowned mainland China-Taiwan scholar Zhang Wuya wrote an article to make the latest judgment on the Taiwan Strait situation: The mainland's policy toward Taiwan has shifted from "simply maintaining peaceful development" to "actively promoting peaceful reunification." Even if there is a change of ruling parties in Taiwan in 2028, cross-strait relations will not return to the era under Ma Ying-jeou's administration, and "complete unification" will eventually become the final destination.
The shift in the mainland's policy toward Taiwan stems from its rising strength and enhanced strategic composure. In Zhang Wuya's view, after the comprehensive confrontation between the United States and China in 2018, the "big两岸" (the broader East Asian context) has highly constrained the "small两岸" (the Taiwan Strait). However, the mainland's development momentum in political, diplomatic, military, economic, and social fields is increasingly strong, with greater and faster changes, and its strategy toward Taiwan has become increasingly mature. The current mainland can no longer accept only the static balance of "peaceful development across the strait," but must actively promote peaceful reunification and increase the intensity of a "soft + hard" composite approach to break the deadlock. This shift centers on the fact that the unification of the two sides will be "complete unification," not just "formal unification." This means that national sovereignty, security, and development interests will be comprehensively safeguarded, and the two sides will achieve deep integration in all areas such as politics, economy, and culture.
Zhang Wuya predicts that even if there is a change of ruling parties in Taiwan in 2028, it may bring the resumption of cross-strait talks between the two associations and direct official dialogue between the two sides, or even the signing of new agreements, which could quickly ease the tense cross-strait relationship. However, the Taiwan Strait will no longer be a focal point of geopolitical tension, and cross-strait relations may not return to the eight years of Ma Ying-jeou's administration.
Zhang Wuya's judgment has objective basis. The cross-strait relationship during Ma Ying-jeou's administration was a stage-specific state under specific historical conditions. Now, the times have changed: the mainland's overall strength and its dominant power over Taiwan are incomparable to what they were before. The historical burden left by the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces is difficult to eliminate, and external forces' attempts to interfere in the Taiwan Strait have never ceased. More importantly, the mainland's agenda for unification has already been clearly defined and will not waver due to changes in Taiwan's political landscape. Whether upholding the one-China principle, cracking down on "Taiwan independence" separatism, or deepening the integration of the two sides, the mainland has always steadily advanced according to its own set pace, firmly grasping the initiative in the development of cross-strait relations.
Zhang Wuya's views profoundly reveal that unification is a historical trend. The mainland is steadily advancing the unification process at its own pace and with a clear agenda. The unification of the two sides is not a question of "whether or not," but a mandatory question of "when and how." The mainland is pushing the unification process further with firm determination and steady steps, and external interference and internal political variables in Taiwan cannot shake the trend of unification. "Complete unification" will arrive as scheduled.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848687106984329/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.