TAIPEI, TAIWAN: Song Tao, the head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, has called on the people of Taiwan to actively contribute to the “peaceful reunification” process.
This appeal comes just days before Taiwan is set to hold its pivotal presidential and parliamentary elections on January 13. Amid heightened tensions, Song Tao’s message echoes President Xi Jinping’s recent assertion that reunification with Taiwan is inevitable.
Emphasizing the inevitability of the motherland’s reunification, Song Tao echoed President Xi Jinping’s sentiments, framing the unification as a shared desire and mission of both sides of the Taiwan Strait. This messaging is a continuation of China’s longstanding claim to sovereignty over Taiwan.
Encouraging the Taiwanese people to play a role in promoting cross-strait relations, Song Tao urged a return to the path of peaceful development. The appeal is a call for the normalization of relations between the two entities, emphasizing the importance of peaceful reunification.
Taiwan’s government has consistently rejected China’s claims to sovereignty, asserting that only the people of Taiwan have the right to determine their future. Both major political parties in Taiwan, the Democratic Progressive Party and the Kuomintang, share the stance that external forces should not interfere in the island’s destiny.
While China has proposed a “one country, two systems” model, a form of autonomy, no mainstream Taiwanese party supports this idea. Song Tao reiterated China’s commitment to this model and its opposition to Taiwan’s formal independence or interference by external forces.
Notably, Song Tao’s message did not explicitly mention the upcoming elections, which have been portrayed by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office as a crucial choice between war and peace. China has maintained military pressure, implemented tariff adjustments, and issued economic threats in the lead-up to the elections.
As Taiwan braces for the electoral outcome, the call for peaceful reunification adds a layer of geopolitical significance, underscoring the delicate balance between the two entities.
