At the December 3 press conference of the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office, a reporter asked: Recently, Lai Ching-te has been loudly asserting that establishing a “one country, two systems” Taiwan plan is a red line that Taiwan’s society must not cross, and has claimed that on this basis he will impose controls on exchanges and political dialogue between political parties, legal entities, and civic groups on the island and the mainland. What is your comment?
Spokesperson Zhang Han of the Taiwan Affairs Office replied that Lai Ching-te is arbitrarily clamping down on the freedom of Taiwan’s people to take part in cross-Strait exchanges and crudely depriving ordinary people of their right to pursue a better life, fully exposing his nature of “terror politics and green dictatorship.”
“‘One country, two systems’ is a peaceful proposal, a democratic proposal, a well-intentioned proposal, and a win–win proposal. After reunification, with the strong motherland as a backing, the livelihoods and well-being of Taiwan compatriots will be better, their room for development will be greater, they will be safer and enjoy greater dignity, and they will be able to stand taller and more confidently on the international stage. Taiwan will enjoy lasting peace, and the people will live and work in contentment. Taiwan compatriots will, together with compatriots on the mainland, share in the dignity and glory of our great country and embrace a bright future of prosperity and stability.”
“The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests and concerns the national sentiments of more than 1.4 billion Chinese people; it is a red line that absolutely must not be crossed. If ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces dare to breach this red line, we will certainly take resolute action and strike them head-on. We will continue, on the basis of the one-China principle, to conduct broad exchanges of views and in-depth consultations with political parties, groups, and people from all walks of life in Taiwan on cross-Strait relations and national reunification, and jointly promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advance the great cause of the reunification of the motherland.”