Li Yihu, a deputy to the top legislature, says the party’s strategy on Taiwan “in the new era has basically taken shape”. Photo: Simon Song
Beijing will speed up its “reunification” plan forTaiwan, a deputy to the top legislature said ahead of itsannual meetingthat starts this weekend.
“The [Communist] Party’s overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan issue in the new era has basically taken shape, and the strategic goals and focus of the future reunification cause have also become very clear,” National People’s Congress deputy Li Yihu said.
“The mainland will promote national reunification on a fast development track,” Li told China Review News Agency in an interview published on Monday.
Tensions have escalated across the Taiwan Strait, which separates the island from mainland China. Photo: Xinhua
It comes as tensions are soaring across the Taiwan Strait and amid speculation that Beijing could attempt to take the self-ruled island – which it claims as part of its territory – by force in the next few years.
Li made the remarks days before this year’s meetings of the top legislative and political advisory bodies – known as the “two sessions” – begin on Saturday.
A series of new policies, including on Taiwan, are expected to be unveiled during the gathering, along with the defence budget and a government reshuffle. Comments made by NPC deputies such as Li can provide some insight into Beijing’s policymaking, which remains largely secretive.
In the interview, Li – who is also dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Peking University – said 2022 was an “extraordinary” year for cross-strait ties and that its major events would “have a certain impact on the future direction” of the relationship.
He said Taiwan policy had been formulated, with the report from the ruling party’s national congress in October offering the “highest guiding principles”, while its opposition to Taiwanese independence wasenshrined in the constitutionand awhite paperon the issue released.
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Li also said Beijing was more focused on opposing “interference” in the Taiwan Strait after provocations by Taipei and Washington, including then US House speakerNancy Pelosi’s visit to the islandin August.
He said tensions could again rise if Pelosi’s successor, Kevin McCarthy, goes ahead with a trip to the island this year, and if Taiwanese PresidentTsai Ing-wenwere to visit the US.
“In terms of US-Taiwan collusion, the United States may also play the ‘Taiwan card’ more actively to contain the rise of mainland China,” Li said.
He said the two sides of the strait lacked the foundation for political consultation since Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party had rejected the one-China principle, which he said was a precondition to resume dialogue and build political trust.
There has been growing concern over Beijing’s plan for “reunification” with Taiwan – by force if necessary – in recent years, as thePeople’s Liberation Armyramped up military intimidation of the island, and after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
On Monday, Charles Flynn, commander of the US Army Pacific, said the PLA had made “extraordinary” progress in recent years but noted that “the complexity of a joint island landing campaign is not a small one”.
“You have to be an incredibly professional force. And they’re working on it, but … they’re not 10 feet tall,” he said during an event hosted by the American Enterprise Institute.
“They have work to do. And I think now is the time for us to get into position to be able to deter that event from happening.”
