BEIJING – China promised zero tolerance for “separatist actions” in Taiwan on Wednesday (Aug 10) and underlined that it will take the self-ruled island by force if necessary.
Beijing’s warning came after days of unprecedented Chinese military maneuvers surrounding the island prompted by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit.
Pelosi became the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in decades last week, despite China’s warnings to keep Taipei isolated on the global stage.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office issued a white paper on Wednesday outlining its strategy for claiming the island through a combination of economic incentives and military pressure.
“We are ready to create enormous space for peaceful reunification, but we will not tolerate any type of separatist activity,” the white document stated.
China will “not abandon the use of force, and we reserve the right to take all necessary measures.”
“We will only be forced to take extreme measures to response to the provocation of separatist elements or external forces if they ever violate our red lines,” it continued.
China’s latest white paper on Taiwan was produced in 2000.
Taiwan has evolved from an autocracy to a dynamic democracy since the late 1990s, and a distinct Taiwanese identity has emerged.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated dramatically since Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016.
Taiwan, according to Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party, is not a part of China.
Their platform falls under China’s broad definition of Taiwanese separatism, which includes those who advocate for the island’s independence from the mainland.
Source: CNA News
