Taiwan has questioned Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s promise to gain control of the island, which Beijing considers its province, in his opening speech at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
The Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council, the main Taiwanese government body responsible for China-related affairs, said on Sunday that Beijing’s policy on Taiwan stems from an error of judgment and offers no new insights.
“The ROC is a sovereign state and Taiwan has never been part of the PRC,” he said in a statement after Xi’s speech.
The same note stressed that the people of Taiwan “will never accept” the so-called 1992 Consensus or the ‘one country, two systems’ formula, which is used in the regions of Macao and Hong Kong, which enjoy some autonomy.
The 1992 Consensus refers to an alleged tacit agreement between Taiwan’s former Kuomintang government and the Chinese Communist Party that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge that there is “one China,” with each side maintaining its own interpretation.
“The decision on the future of Taiwan rests with its 23 million people,” the statement said. “We advise the CCP authorities to stop acts of coercion and aggression,” he added.
Xi vowed on Sunday that he would never stop using force to take control of Taiwan.
“Solving the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people and it is up to the Chinese people to decide,” Xi said at the Great Hall of the People near Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
“We insist on peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and will make every effort to achieve it, but we will never give up the use of force and reserve the option of taking all necessary measures,” warned the Chinese leader, who is expected to take a stand this week third quarter. “This is aimed at interference from outside forces and separatists seeking Taiwan independence,” he added.
Tensions between Beijing and Taipei have increased in recent months. After the Speaker of the US House of Representatives of Congress, Nancy Pelosi, visited Taipei in August, Beijing launched the largest military exercises ever held on the island, which included missile launches and a de facto site of the territory.
Source: TSF
