Illustration: Liu Rui/GT
In recent days, the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' egregious suppression of spouses of Taiwan residents from the Chinese mainland (mainland spouses) has garnered great attention from across the Taiwan Straits, especially after the expulsion of mainland online influencer Liu Zhenya from the island.
On March 11, the DPP authorities ordered Liu to leave the island, accusing her of "advocating reunification by force" online. On Tuesday, Liu was forced to leave her three children and returned to the mainland. On Tuesday, a DPP spokesperson reportedly said that the action against Liu was targeting "the words and deeds of a few mainland spouses that endanger national security." Such an act of blatantly promoting "two-state" rhetoric, suppressing the "most vulnerable group" on the island and creating "green terror" is a blatant violation of the rights of Taiwan residents and a glaring trampling of the red line of the Taiwan question. It is despicable and disgraceful.
The DPP authorities' suppression of mainland spouses does no good to Taiwan whatsoever, except for infringing on the basic rights of the people on the island and destroying Taiwan's democratic foundation and social environment. As ordinary individuals, mainland spouses cannot determine Taiwan's destiny of "reunification or independence," nor can they determine the future of "peace or war" across the Taiwan Straits. If they are expelled merely for online remarks related to reunification, then where is the "freedom of belief" that the DPP boasts about every day? Where is the "freedom of speech"? Where is the "protection of human rights"?
It is clear that remarks made by mainland spouses are merely excuses for the DPP authorities to eliminate dissent. The group that is truly responsible for the deterioration of cross-Straits relations has never been the mainland spouses, but rather Lai and his ilk who are determined to go all the way down the dark path of "Taiwan independence." By calling the mainland a "foreign hostile force" and equating cross-Straits relations with "hostile relations," Lai has revealed his true identity as a "destroyer of cross-Straits peace" and a "crisis maker in the Taiwan Straits."
The 17 strategies announced on March 14 lay bare Lai's vile character, which stands against peace, dialogue, democracy and humanity. His words and deeds are aimed at inciting opposition to and confrontation with the mainland, obstructing exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Straits, and wielding political terror and imposing dictatorship on the island.
However, no matter how the DPP authorities try to obstruct cross-Straits exchanges, the flesh-and-blood ties between compatriots on both sides of the Straits will not be broken. The complete reunification of the motherland is an inevitable trend. It is what the greater national interests entail and what all Chinese people aspire for. Our fellow Chinese in Taiwan should take pride in their Chinese identity, resolutely crush any attempt for "Taiwan independence" and work together to achieve the glorious cause of national reunification and national rejuvenation.
The author is the deputy dean and a professor at the Taiwan Research Institute at Xiamen University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn
