Taiwan can suggest how to govern it after unifying with mainland China, PLA strategist says

Chinese President Xi Jinping raised the same proposition four years ago when he chaired an anniversary session in Beijing about reunification with Taiwan, a self-ruled island of 24 million.

Andrew Yang Nien-dzu, a former Taiwanese defence minister, said He’s remarks underscored the chasm of understanding between Beijing and Taipei.

Andrew Yang Nien-dzu, a former Taiwanese defence minister, says “‘one country two systems’ has no market in Taiwan”. Photo: Minnie Chan

“Beijing’s ‘one country, two systems’ formula has no market in Taiwan and Taiwanese people believe this is just a trick by the mainland to destroy the Republic of China government,” Yang said, using Taiwan’s official name.

“Taiwan has stated its position clearly that the Republic of China is an independent sovereign state. If Beijing really wants to negotiate, then it has to make clear its stance about the Republic of China, or there isn’t really any room for negotiations.”

Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province to be united eventually with the mainland, by force if necessary. It has emphasised that it aims for peaceful reunification under its “one China” principle which states that the mainland and Taiwan are one country.

Beijing has also made clear that it will not renounce the use of force against Taiwan to deter foreign interference on the island.

He Lei contended that the Taiwan issue was a “continuation of China’s civil war”, which ended in 1949.

“Taiwan is an internal issue for China and it is a continuation of the civil war,” he said. “This is why the Chinese military is called the People’s Liberation Army – because [Taiwan] is not liberated yet and China is not yet united.”

“Now the Tsai Ing-wen [government] of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party wants to promote Taiwan independence, and invites foreign intervention,” he said. “This is why we cannot renounce the use of force … we are still fighting the war of liberation.”

Ties across the Taiwan Strait have sunk to a low ebb since Tsai, of the independence-leaning DPP, was elected president in 2016, and won a second term three years ago.