China expressed “satisfaction” with Elon Musk’s support for a “peaceful reunification” of the country with Taiwan, while Taipei criticized comments from the CEO of electric vehicle maker Tesla.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a news conference that she hopes to see “more and more people” can “understand and support” the island’s reunification with mainland China.
Quoted by the Financial Times, Musk said that Taiwan should become a special administrative region of China, similar to Hong Kong and Macau.
“My suggestion would be to establish a special administrative region that is reasonable and feasible for Taiwan, but may not satisfy everyone,” said the American businessman. “I think they [Taiwan] can reach more flexible agreements than what was done in Hong Kong,” he added.
Hong Kong and Macau enjoy a high degree of autonomy at the executive, legislative and judicial levels, for a period of 50 years after the transfer of sovereignty of the two territories to the People’s Republic of China, the United Kingdom and Portugal, respectively. under the principle of ‘one country, two systems’.
China’s ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, also reacted to Musk’s statements by stating, on the social network Twitter, that “peaceful reunification” and the “one country, two systems” model are China’s “basic principles for solve the Taiwan problem. .
“As long as China’s sovereignty, security and development interests are guaranteed after reunification, Taiwan will enjoy a high degree of autonomy as a special administrative region and ample space to develop,” Qin added.
The Progressive Democratic Party (PDD), currently in power in Taiwan, stressed through the Mainland Affairs Office that “Taiwan will not accept” the businessman’s proposal, which “only considers the interests of its investments.”
More than 30% of Tesla vehicles are produced at the group’s factory in Shanghai, the economic “capital” of China. The Asian country is also the second largest market for the brand, after the United States.
China and Taiwan have lived as two autonomous territories since 1949, when the former Chinese nationalist government took refuge on the island after defeat in the civil war against the communists. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and threatens reunification by force if the island formally declares its independence.
Washington came to recognize, in 1979, the leadership of Beijing as the only legitimate government in all of China, breaking off official contacts with Taipei. However, the United States remains Taiwan’s largest ally and arms supplier.
Source: TSF
