The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will double down on Taiwan unification efforts ahead of its 20th National Congress to be held on October 16.
A white paper commissioned by Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said that CPP would announce policies that focus on the party’s overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan issue, according to Liberty Times.
It added that the party would strengthen its policy toward Taiwan in three major ways, reported Taiwan News.
First, it will endorse a “one China against independence” stance and oppose foreign intervention. By increasing diplomatic pressure and military exercises, China will simultaneously suppress so-called “Taiwan independence forces” and prevent the US, Japan, and the international community from intervening.
The party will also promote “development integration” with Taiwanese businessmen, youth, and the public through more legislation and actions. Its ultimate goal is to let Taiwanese enjoy the same treatment as Chinese citizens, the report said.
Lastly, the party will advance its unification goals. Beijing’s report “The Taiwan Question and China’s Reunification in the New Era,” published on August 10, said for the first time China would consider sending troops or administrative personnel to Taiwan, which is different from the previous two white papers in the past that said the CPP would not send them to Taiwan after unification.
According to the MAC’s white paper, the Hong Kong protests in 2019 impacted Beijing’s thought process and actions regarding its implementation of “one country, two systems” on the Chinese territory, reported Taiwan News.
The CPP drew from its experience governing Hong Kong and stressed in the report that it will “not renounce the use of force” on Taiwan and that it has “the option of taking all necessary measures.”
In the recent past, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by routinely sending aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most occurrences taking place in the southwest corner, post the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
In line, after the US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last month, China has over time reiterated that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. China claims that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.
Gray zone tactics are defined as “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force.”