The view of Taipei Photo: VCG

To realize national reunification through peaceful means is our first choice to resolve the Taiwan question while non-peaceful means will remain the last resort to guard against external interference and separatist activities, Sun Yeli, spokesperson for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said at a press conference on Saturday. 

The Saturday press conference was held one day before the opening of the 20th CPC National Congress, during which Sun introduced the agenda of the congress and answered questions from domestic and foreign journalists.

In responding to questions on how the Chinese mainland evaluated the peaceful and non-peaceful reunification with the island of Taiwan, Sun said that "We are willing to continue working with the greatest sincerity and exerting our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification."

In not promising to renounce the use of force, we are in no way targeting our Taiwan compatriots, but rather foreign interference and an extremely small number of "Taiwan independence" elements and their separatist activities, Sun said, adding that the goal is to advance the process of China's peaceful reunification.

Sun said that peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems" are our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question. Peaceful reunification fits the interests of all Chinese people, including our compatriots in Taiwan and is beneficial to the long-term development of China. It is our first choice to resolve the Taiwan question, Sun said.

Sun urged compatriots across the Taiwan Straits to join hands to resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence" forces and foreign interference, and to open up bright prospects for the peaceful reunification. 

Currently, "Taiwan Independence" secession forces keep provoking for their own secessionist purposes, and external forces strengthen their strategy of "using the Taiwan question to contain China," which has seriously harmed the fundamental interests of the Chinese people.

"If this trend is allowed to continue, it will plunge Taiwan into the abyss of disaster, and bring profound and heavy tragedies for Taiwan compatriots," Sun said, stressing that no party, and no force should underestimate our strong determination, firm will and powerful strength to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. "We hope Taiwan compatriots would come to see this: Reunification has bright prospects, 'Taiwan Independence' leads to nowhere, and external forces are unreliable," the spokesperson added.

Global Times