Taiwan's Future Lies in Reunification: Army Daily

The future of Taiwan lies in the ultimate reunification of the motherland, according to a signed article in Thursday's Liberation Army Daily newspaper.

At present, the island of Taiwan is at the crossroads. "Both history and reality indicate to us that Taiwan's future lies in the ultimate reunification of the motherland," the article said.

Only the reunification with the motherland will ensure Taiwan a broad international space, respectable world status, and give the Taiwan residents the dignity and honor of being Chinese, it noted. After nearly a century of hard struggle, the Chinese people have finally stood up, and the country is emerging as a big country in the world after half a century development, it said.

As one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and the biggest developing country in the world, China has been playing a major role in the peace and development of mankind, and has won high respect and honor from the international community, the article said.

History demonstrates that Taiwan's fate has been closely linked to the fate of the motherland, and a strong and united motherland has always been the ultimate home of Taiwan, it said.

The island can achieve real independence, equality, and security along with the motherland only when the country is completely reunited on the basis of the one-China principle, the article said.

It is only reunification with the motherland that will ensure Taiwan's economy a solid basis of steady growth and safeguard the prosperity and happiness of the Taiwan people, the article said.

As a typical island economy, Taiwan is heavily dependent on foreign trade, which accounts for over 96 percent of its total gross domestic products (GDP). On the other hand, the mainland has become the world's largest new market with a population of nearly 1.3 billion people, the article said.

The globalization and regionalization of the world economy means that the island's hope of sustained economic growth lies in the motherland, which has already been demonstrated by the development of cross-Straits economic relations over the past 20 years, it said.

It is only reunification with the motherland that will ensure Taiwan long-term peace and security amid the great waves of the Pacific, the article noted.

From a geopolitical point of view, Taiwan has an important position in Asia-Pacific strategy, and has been an area of contention among the world's major powers. As a hilly island, Taiwan also lacks strategic depth and is susceptible to outside attacks, the article said.

Facts have shown that separated from the motherland, the island of Taiwan will not have the capacity to defend itself against the tempestuous waves of the Pacific, and will ultimately fall prey to big powers.

"Only a united and strong motherland will always be the powerful guarantor of Taiwan's peace and security," the Liberation Army Daily stressed.

The complete reunification of the motherland represents an irresistible historical trend, and will benefit both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

Proponents of "Taiwan independence" should bear in mind that any attempt to split the island from the motherland will meet the strong opposition of the entire Chinese people, who are ready to defend the motherland's sovereign and territorial integrity with life and blood, the article said.



People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/