China has issued a strong statement urging the new leader of Taiwan to make a clear choice between pursuing peaceful development or confrontation across the Taiwan Strait.
Chen Binhua, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office made the remarks during a press conference on Wednesday. He was responding to questions about the potential content of Lai Ching-te’s upcoming inauguration speech as the new leader of Taiwan.
According to Chen, the mainland believes that the mainstream public opinion on the island of Taiwan favors peace over war, development over decline, communication over separation, and cooperation over confrontation.
“Whether to follow the will of the people and take the path of peaceful development, or to go against popular will and engage in provocation and confrontation, is a question which not only matters to the interests and well-being of the compatriots of Taiwan but also to the future development of Taiwan as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” Chen said.
He stressed that this is a critical question that the new Taiwanese leader must “seriously face and give a clear answer to.”
Chen reiterated China’s adherence to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, and its firm opposition to “Taiwan independence” and external interference. He said the mainland will continue to expand cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, deepen integrated development, and firmly promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the cause of national reunification.
