Experts condemn Lai Ching-te’s separatist rhetoric, stress cross-Strait unity

Chinese experts in mainland-Taiwan relations on Tuesday strongly criticized Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party he leads for intentionally stirring up trouble across the Taiwan Strait and blocking exchanges between people on the two sides of the Strait.

Their denunciation came at an event held in Beijing marking the launch of the 2024 edition of a handbook on the Taiwan question, which is compiled by Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

At a press conference on March 13, Lai unveiled 17 strategies to counter so-called "threats" from the Chinese mainland facing the island, which has sparked strong concerns from people in various sectors of Taiwan.

Experts said Lai's move once again revealed the true nature of his Taiwan separatist attempts and his stance against cross-Strait communication and peace.

"All he [Lai Ching-te] wants is to stir up societal unrest to consolidate the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) rule and political interests. He seeks to incite extreme populism to mislead certain groups, especially the young people," said Zheng Jian, deputy director of the Research Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification.

"I believe that Lai's rhetoric is aimed at sowing discord between people on both sides of the Strait, obstructing cross-Strait exchanges, and inciting confrontation across the Strait. He seeks to create a climate of 'green terror' in Taiwan and cause a chilling effect among the Taiwan public. As a matter of fact, Lai's remarks have met the firm refute and opposition of many people in Taiwan. We must recognize that people on both sides of the Strait belong to one family and share the bond of kinship. I believe that our compatriots in Taiwan, inspired by the strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, will work together to promote common development across the Strait and contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," said Yang Yizhou, vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots.

Experts condemn Lai Ching-te’s separatist rhetoric, stress cross-Strait unity

President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Jae Myung has expressed his hope that his upcoming visit to China will help eliminate past misunderstandings and issues, underscoring the importance of ties between the two countries.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Lee will pay a state visit to China from Jan 4 to 7. It will be Lee's first visit to China since he took office.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Seoul on Wednesday, Lee acknowledged the existing misunderstandings and issues between the two countries, noting that addressing these issues is a key goal of his visit.

"The current international landscape is turbulent, with escalating issues among various countries. In this context, the relationship between the Republic of Korea and China holds significant importance for us. the ROK and China are deeply interconnected in many areas, including history, economy, geopolitics, politics and security. Northeast Asia's peace, stability, mutual respect, and common prosperity are crucial for both countries," said Lee.

"Admittedly, there have been some misunderstandings and issues between the ROK and China, which have hindered the development of bilateral relations to some extent. Therefore, the purpose of my upcoming visit to China is to minimize or eliminate these past issues, foster a leap in our bilateral relations to a new level, and solidify the ROK and China as partners that mutually support each other's development," he said.

ROK President hopes to reduce misunderstandings with China during upcoming visit