Peaceful Reunification Benefits People on Both Sides of Taiwan Straits

The "one country, two systems" principle is a great creation of the Chinese Communists, put forward by Deng Xiaoping for the peaceful solution of the Taiwan issue. As soon as this principle was set forth, it received the heartfelt support from the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation at home and overseas.

On January 30, 1995, Jiang Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, published the important speech, entitled "Continue to Fight for the Accomplishment of the Great Cause of Reunification of the Motherland".

This speech incisively expounds the profound content of Deng Xiaoping's concept "peaceful reunification, and one country, two systems" and, in light of the situation featuring the development of the cross-Strait relations, realistically put forward the eight-point policy proposal. This well-wished and realistic speech, which has answered major problems to the concern of Taiwan compatriots, enhanced Taiwan people's trust in the mainland of the motherland and won the understanding and support of the international community, is of important practical significance to promoting the development of cross-Strait relations and has produced far-reaching historical influence on the peaceful reunification of the motherland.

Bringing about the peaceful reunification of the motherland by applying the "one country, two systems" principle conforms to the vital interests and felicity of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

An early realization of the reunification of the motherland is conducive to an all-round rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, to China's modernization drive, and all the more to the long-term stability and prosperity and development of future Taiwan.

Over the past 20 years and more, the mainland of the motherland has always been unswervingly implementing the basic principle of "peaceful reunification, and one country, two systems". This effort has brought about significant development of the cross-Strait relations, is welcomed by the people across the Straits and has received the general praises and affirmation of the international opinion. The successful practice featuring the successive, smooth return of Hong Kong and Macao to the motherland has enabled people to see more clearly that the "one country, two systems" principle is scientific and has strong vitality.

However, the development of cross-Strait relationship is by no means a plain sailing. To date, some people in Taiwan still agitate that "Taiwan is a sovereign independent state" in an attempt to separate Taiwan from China.

We have also noticed that although the new leader of the Taiwan authorities mentioned in his May 20 speech that he would not proclaim the "independence of Taiwan", would not spur "the inclusion of the two-states theory into the constitution", nor would he promote a "referendum on reunification or independence" and he had not abrogated the "program for national reunification", on the key question concerning acceptance of the one-China principle, however, he adopted an evasive and obscuring attitude.

The one-China principle is the foundation and prerequisite for developing cross-Strait relationship and realizing peaceful reunification. Denying the one-China principle, and denying that Taiwan is a part of China, means an act to split China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, means splitting the Chinese nation, and thus means the loss of the foundation for peaceful reunification, in that case, the ultimate situation in which the two sides of the Taiwan Straits cross swords would be hardly avoidable, a situation we absolutely do not want to see.

Compatriots between the two sides of the Straits are originally members of the same family and are of one blood sharing weal and woe. To fight against Japanese invasion, people of the mainland of the motherland had carried out extremely hard and bitter struggles for as long as eight years; to resist Japanese occupation of Taiwan, the Taiwan compatriots had suffered the loss of the lives of 650,000 people.

Since 1945, the Chinese Communist Party and the compatriots on the mainland had unswervingly supported Taiwan compatriots in their struggle against the Kuomintang autocratic rule. In 1947 when the "February 28" uprising erupted in Taiwan, the Chinese Communist Party openly declared opposition to Kuomintang reactionaries' suppression of Taiwan compatriots. The mainland of the motherland fully respects Taiwan compatriots' life-styles and their wishes to be masters of their own destiny and their own affairs, and strive to safeguard all legitimate rights and interests of Taiwan compatriots. The essence of our struggle with Taiwan's separatist forces is absolutely not one whether or not we should advocate democracy and which system we should institute, but rather it is a struggle for reunification or for separation.

The one-China principle originally has long been the common view of the people on both sides of the Straits. It is precisely the one-China principle that has brought about the development of cross-Strait relationship in the past decade. On the basis of recognizing the one-China principle and Taiwan as a part of China, the two sides can engage in consultation on an equal footing and discuss matters concerning reunification.

We hope that the new leader of the Taiwan authorities will judge the hour and size up the situation, go with the tide of historical development, discard the advocacy of splittism, and take the bright road leading to peaceful reunification. We appeal to compatriots between two sides to get united, oppose the "independence of Taiwan" and any form of separatist behavior and make joint efforts for realizing the peaceful reunification of the motherland and the all-round rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. (By Zhang Kehui chairman of Taiwan Democratic Self-government League)



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