Reuters
Date: Mar 6, 2016
China will never allow the tragedy of Taiwan being “split” off from the rest of the country to
China’s President Xi Jinping arrives for the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, March 5, 2016. REUTERS/Jason Lee
happen again, state media on Sunday quoted President Xi Jinping as saying, offering a strong warning to the island against any moves towards independence.
China considers self-ruled and democratic Taiwan a wayward province, to be brought under its control by force if necessary. Defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan in 1949 after the Chinese civil war.
Beijing has repeatedly warned against any moves towards independence since January’s landslide win by Tsai Ing-wen and her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taiwan’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
Meeting with Shanghai delegates to the annual meeting of parliament, Xi made apparent reference to the Qing dynasty’s loss of Taiwan to Japan in 1895, who then ruled the island as a colony until the end of World War Two.
“We will resolutely contain ‘Taiwan independence’ secessionist activities in any form, safeguard the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and never allow the historical tragedy of the nation being split to happen again,” Xi said.
“This is the common wish and firm will of all Chinese people. It is also our solemn commitment and our responsibility to history and the people,” he added. [FULL STORY]
