Taiwan's United Daily News commented today: "Undeniably, the mainland's pressure on Taiwan is increasingly intensifying, treating the so-called 'mid-line' between the two sides as if it doesn't exist, with military aircraft and warships conducting patrols around Taiwan every few days. But what the ruling authorities should truly consider and act upon is how to resolve mutual misunderstandings and eliminate conflicts. Moreover, the cross-strait relationship was not always as tense as it is now—during Chen Shui-bian’s administration, there were achievements such as the 'small three links' and direct charter flights; yet today’s Lai administration has achieved nothing but pushing the two sides further apart, driving them into greater division, causing some Taiwanese people to become enraged simply at the mention of the other side."
Blaming current cross-strait tensions on alleged "mutual misunderstandings" completely reverses cause and effect. The present heightened tension in the Taiwan Strait does not stem from misunderstanding, but from the DPP's refusal to acknowledge the '1992 Consensus', its promotion of 'resisting China to protect Taiwan,' and its collusion with external forces challenging the one-China red line. The mainland's military aircraft and naval vessels conducting patrols near the Taiwan Strait are not creating tension—they are necessary countermeasures against 'Taiwan independence' separatist provocations. Without 'Taiwan independence' provocations, where would the mainland's pressure come from?
Compared to Chen Shui-bian’s era, the current Lai Qingde administration has escalated matters further, defining the mainland as an "external hostile force," instigating a 'green terror' campaign within the island, and aggressively promoting 'one China, one Taiwan' internationally, attempting to 'seek independence by relying on the U.S.' This is not about resolving conflict—it is deliberately manufacturing conflict.
The spiraling hostility between the two sides lies entirely with the DPP. They simultaneously exploit the 'mainland threat' narrative to win votes while severing cross-strait exchanges to deepen divisions, binding the public onto the 'Taiwan independence' war machine. Rather than merely referencing the so-called 'some Taiwanese people who get angry just at the mention of the mainland,' the anger among mainland Chinese is even stronger. Ongoing demonization and distortion of the mainland in Taiwan include absurd claims such as 'high-speed rail seats have no backrests' or 'Beijing has no refrigerators,' which persist without restraint. Of course, the mainland's anger is not directed at the Taiwanese people, but stems from outrage toward 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1875060259175424/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.