China releases white paper on the Taiwan: use of force is possible

On Wednesday, August 10, 2022 China issued a white paper about its strategy with Taiwan. It’s actually the 3d white paper on Taiwan based on SCMP.

“On the same day as it announced a formal end to unprecedented military exercises encircling the island, Beijing released the first white paper on Taiwan in over two decades, titled “The Taiwan Question and China’s Reunification in the New Era”.”

“Beijing’s first white paper on Taiwan was published in 1993, after the two sides reached the 1992 consensus, an oral agreement on the one-China principle. A second came in 2000, after Macau’s return to Chinese sovereignty, leaving Taiwan the only missing piece to the unification of China.

The third white paper on Wednesday came in the wake of Pelosi’s unannounced visit to the island, which Beijing had repeatedly warned against. Soon after her departure on Thursday, the People’s Liberation Army launched unprecedented exercises in the Taiwan Strait.”

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3188367/mainland-china-releases-white-paper-declaring-beijings-greatest

The paper clearly (taking into account Chinese indirect style of communication) states that use of force is possible if required.

　　We are willing to continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and best efforts. We do not promise to renounce the use of force, and reserve the option of taking all necessary measures, targeting the interference of external forces and the very few "Taiwan independence" separatists and their separatist activities, not targeting Taiwan compatriots, and non-peaceful means will be taken as a last resort last choice. If the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces or external intervening forces provoke and coerce, or even break the red line, we will have to take decisive measures. Always insist on making full preparations for non-peaceful means and other necessary measures to deal with the interference of external forces and major incidents of "Taiwan independence", the purpose is to fundamentally maintain the prospect of peaceful reunification of the motherland and promote the process of peaceful reunification of the motherland.

　　At present, some forces in the United States are plotting to "control China with Taiwan", deliberately playing the "Taiwan card", and stimulating the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces to take risks and provocations, which not only seriously jeopardizes the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait, hinders the Chinese government's efforts for peaceful reunification, but also seriously affects China and the United States. The relationship is healthy and stable. If it continues to develop, tensions across the Taiwan Strait will continue to escalate, causing subversive risks to Sino-US relations and serious damage to the US's own interests. The United States should abide by the one-China principle, handle Taiwan-related issues prudently and properly, stop saying one thing and do another, and fulfill its promise not to support "Taiwan independence" with concrete actions.

It's also interesting to read the justification that “Taiwan belongs to China since ancient times”.

http://www.news.cn/politics/2022-08/10/c_1128903097.htm

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Tags: China, Taiwan