China and Taiwan are destined for ‘reunification’,

[Kokavkrystallos]

China and Taiwan are destined for ‘reunification’, Xi tells former president​

Xi Jinping has met the former Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou, in what analysts said was an attempt to promote peaceful unification as the only alternative to military annexation of Taiwan.

Ma, who was leading a student delegation to China, met Xi in Beijing at the Great Hall of the People, a venue typically reserved for foreign leaders meeting with senior Chinese officials. Xi used the meeting to emphasise his belief that Taiwan and China were destined for what he terms “reunification”.

“External interference cannot stop the historical trend of reunion of the country and family,” Xi said, according to Taiwanese media. He said that people on both sides of the Taiwan strait were Chinese, and “there is no rancour that cannot be resolved, no problem that cannot be discussed, and no force that can separate us”.

According to local reports, Ma said that a war between the two sides would be “an unbearable burden for the Chinese nation”.

“The Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait will definitely have enough wisdom to handle cross-strait disputes peacefully and avoid conflicts,” Ma said.

Xi claims Taiwan as a province of China and has sworn to annex it, by force if necessary. In the interim he has presided over a wide-scale campaign of political, economic and cognitive warfare, and near-daily military intimidation, in order to persuade Taiwan to accept Chinese rule.

However a growing majority of Taiwan’s people and its government reject the prospect. The Kuomintang (KMT) opposition party, of which Ma remains a senior member, also rejects reunification but advocates for closer ties with China as the way to preserve peace. Ma is one of the party’s most China-friendly figures.

China and Taiwan are destined for ‘reunification’, Xi tells former president

Chinese leader using meeting with Ma Ying-jeou to promote peaceful ‘reunion’ as only alternative to annexation, say analysts

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlexB23]

China and Taiwan are destined for ‘reunification’, Xi tells former president​

Xi Jinping has met the former Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou, in what analysts said was an attempt to promote peaceful unification as the only alternative to military annexation of Taiwan.

Ma, who was leading a student delegation to China, met Xi in Beijing at the Great Hall of the People, a venue typically reserved for foreign leaders meeting with senior Chinese officials. Xi used the meeting to emphasise his belief that Taiwan and China were destined for what he terms “reunification”.

“External interference cannot stop the historical trend of reunion of the country and family,” Xi said, according to Taiwanese media. He said that people on both sides of the Taiwan strait were Chinese, and “there is no rancour that cannot be resolved, no problem that cannot be discussed, and no force that can separate us”.

According to local reports, Ma said that a war between the two sides would be “an unbearable burden for the Chinese nation”.

“The Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait will definitely have enough wisdom to handle cross-strait disputes peacefully and avoid conflicts,” Ma said.

Xi claims Taiwan as a province of China and has sworn to annex it, by force if necessary. In the interim he has presided over a wide-scale campaign of political, economic and cognitive warfare, and near-daily military intimidation, in order to persuade Taiwan to accept Chinese rule.

However a growing majority of Taiwan’s people and its government reject the prospect. The Kuomintang (KMT) opposition party, of which Ma remains a senior member, also rejects reunification but advocates for closer ties with China as the way to preserve peace. Ma is one of the party’s most China-friendly figures.

China and Taiwan are destined for ‘reunification’, Xi tells former president

Chinese leader using meeting with Ma Ying-jeou to promote peaceful ‘reunion’ as only alternative to annexation, say analysts

www.theguardian.com

In my opinion, China should leave Taiwan alone. If not, Taiwan should have a vote. If >50% of the Taiwanese population supports staying independent from Chinese mainland, then China should respect that.


Here is a summary of the article provided:

The article by Helen Davidson, published on April 10, 2024, reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping met with former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou in Beijing. The meeting took place at the Great Hall of the People, which is typically used for meetings between foreign leaders and senior Chinese officials. Xi emphasized his belief in the "reunification" of Taiwan and China, stating that external interference cannot prevent this historical trend. Ma reportedly expressed the view that a war between China and Taiwan would be an unbearable burden for the Chinese nation.

Xi considers Taiwan a province of China and has vowed to annex it, whether peacefully or by force. However, a growing majority of Taiwanese people and their government reject reunification. The Kuomintang (KMT) opposition party, which Ma is a senior member of, also advocates for closer ties with China but rejects reunification.

Beijing's meeting with Ma was an attempt to put on a friendlier face and signal that peaceful unification through winning over hearts and minds remains its preferred option, according to analysts. However, it could also be an attempt to undermine the ruling party and incoming government in Taiwan, just weeks before President Lai Ching-te's inauguration. Ma is trying to preserve his legacy of warmer ties with China, but Beijing may be having difficulty cultivating other senior political figures in Taiwan who are willing to play a dovish role towards Beijing.

The meeting was rumored but not confirmed until shortly before it occurred, and no current leader of Taiwan has visited China since the end of the civil war in 1949. The two leaders last met in Singapore in 2015 when Ma was still president.

 

[Pekka]

I suppose we have another meat grinder coming here. Jesus pls come already!

 

[Richard T]

Taiwan's Election Brings Risk of Conflict With China The most recent election shows less support for Taiwan than I might have thought. 40% voted for the current President (or party) that are against unification. The poll I found showed only about 12% wanted reunification. Poll shows 48.9% support independence - Taipei Times the other support status quo or have no opinion.