Taiwan's future lies in reunification with the motherland

Abstract

The status of Taiwan vis‐à‐vis China is one that has vexed the two communities for many years. While Taiwan insists on its own autonomous identity, the international community generally recognises the Government in Beijing as that of the whole of China. But in recent years, it appears to the Government of the People's Republic of China that this consensus has been mud‐died. Here Gong Jianzhong sets out the Chinese perspective that Taiwan is an irrevocable part of China, historically and in the eyes of the world. While Taiwan has had strong economic development, it has also been able to take advantage of the growth of the mainland economy, without which it would not be in so strong a position. The Government in Beijing desires that Taiwan should come to the negotiating table, accepting the principle of ‘one China’ and negotiate on an equal basis to end the years of hostility which divides the people of the mainland and Taiwan.