Xi Jinping Says Peaceful Reunification In Taiwan's Interest

Chinese President Xi Jinping says peaceful reunification with Taiwan is in the country’s best interests and urged Taiwan to “stand on the right side of history” in a speech marking the 110th anniversary of the revolution that established the first Chinese republic, William Zheng reported for the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Photo Insert: An official portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping

Taipei condemns speech as a ‘distortion of history’ and calls on Beijing to stop threatening the island as Xi said those who opposed peaceful reunification “would be judged by history.”

The uprising, also known as the Xinhai Revolution, began in Wuchang, now part of modern-day Wuhan, and led to the downfall of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).

Calling Xi’s speech a “one-sided distortion of historical facts,” Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement that “Mr. Sun Yat-sen and countless revolutionary martyrs created the first democratic republic in Asia, the Republic of China.

The Republic of China stands unshakably in Taiwan.” Taiwan was never populated by the Han Chinese but by the native Formosans who never considered Beijing as its administrator.

The council called on Beijing to abandon “its provocative measures of intrusion and destruction, and to consider interactions based on peace, reciprocity, democracy, and dialogue with a more open mind.”

Xavier Chang, a spokesman for Taiwan’s Presidential Office, said that the idea of “one country, two systems is not feasible” as the situation in Hong Kong showed. “Mainstream public opinion in Taiwan is very clear that it rejects one country, two systems and defends our democratic and free lifestyle,” he said.

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