The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of  China published a white paper titled "The Taiwan Question and China's  Reunification in the New Era" on Wednesday.

The following is the full text of the white paper:

The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era

The People's Republic of China

The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and  The State Council Information Office

August 2022

Contents

Preamble

I. Taiwan Is Part of China - This Is an  Indisputable Fact

II. Resolute Efforts of the CPC to Realize  China's Complete Reunification

III. China's Complete Reunification Is a  Process That Cannot Be Halted

IV. National Reunification in the New  Era

V. Bright Prospects for Peaceful  Reunification

Conclusion

Preamble

Resolving the Taiwan question and  realizing China's complete reunification is a shared aspiration of all the sons  and daughters of the Chinese nation. It is indispensable for the realization of  China's rejuvenation. It is also a historic mission of the Communist Party of  China (CPC). The CPC, the Chinese government, and the Chinese people have  striven for decades to achieve this goal.

The 18th National Congress of the CPC in  2012 heralded a new era in building socialism with Chinese characteristics.  Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the  core, the CPC and the Chinese government have adopted new and innovative  measures in relation to Taiwan. They have continued to chart the course of  cross-Straits relations, safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan  Straits, and promote progress towards national reunification. However, in recent  years the Taiwan authorities, led by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP),  have redoubled their efforts to divide the country, and some external forces  have tried to exploit Taiwan to contain China, prevent the Chinese nation from  achieving complete reunification, and halt the process of national  rejuvenation.

The CPC has united the Chinese people and  led them in fulfilling the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately  prosperous society in all respects as scheduled, and in embarking on a new  journey towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a modern  socialist country.

The Chinese nation has achieved a historic  transformation from standing upright to becoming prosperous and growing in  strength, and national rejuvenation is driven by an unstoppable force. This  marks a new starting point for reunification.

The Chinese government has published two  previous white papers on Taiwan. One was The Taiwan Question and Reunification  of China in August 1993, and the other was The One-China Principle and the  Taiwan Issue in February 2000. These two white papers provided a comprehensive  and systematic elaboration of the basic principles and policies regarding the  resolution of the Taiwan question. This new white paper is being released to  reiterate the fact that Taiwan is part of China, to demonstrate the resolve of  the CPC and the Chinese people and their commitment to national reunification,  and to emphasize the position and policies of the CPC and the Chinese government  in the new era.

I. Taiwan Is Part of China - This  Is an Indisputable Fact

Taiwan has belonged to China since ancient  times. This statement has a sound basis in history and jurisprudence. New  archeological discoveries and research findings regularly attest to the profound  historical and cultural ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. A  large number of historical records and annals document the development of Taiwan  by the Chinese people in earlier periods.

The earliest references to this effect are  to be found, among others, in Seaboard Geographic Gazetteer compiled in the year  230 by Shen Ying of the State of Wu during the Three Kingdoms Period. The royal  court of the Sui Dynasty had on three occasions sent troops to Taiwan, called  Liuqiu at that time. Starting from the Song and Yuan dynasties, the imperial  central governments of China all set up administrative bodies to exercise  jurisdiction over Penghu and Taiwan.

In 1624, Dutch colonialists invaded and  occupied the southern part of Taiwan. In 1662, General Zheng Chenggong, hailed  as a national hero, led an expedition and expelled them from the island.  Subsequently, the Qing court gradually set up more administrative bodies in  Taiwan. In 1684, a Taiwan prefecture administration was set up under the  jurisdiction of Fujian Province. In 1885, Taiwan's status was upgraded and it  became the 20th province of China.

In July 1894, Japan launched a war of  aggression against China. In April 1895, the defeated Qing government was forced  to cede Taiwan and the Penghu Islands to Japan. During the Chinese People's War  of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945), China's Communists called  for the recovery of Taiwan. Talking with American journalist Nym Wales on May  15, 1937, Mao Zedong said that China's goal was to achieve a final victory in  the war - a victory that would recover the occupied Chinese territories in  Northeast China and to the south of the Shanhai Pass, and secure the liberation  of Taiwan.

On December 9, 1941, the Chinese  government issued a declaration of war against Japan, and proclaimed that all  treaties, conventions, agreements, and contracts regarding relations between  China and Japan had been abrogated, and that China would recover Taiwan and the  Penghu Islands.

The Cairo Declaration issued by China, the  United States and the United Kingdom on December 1, 1943 stated that it was the  purpose of the three allies that all the territories Japan had stolen from  China, such as Northeast China, Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, should be  restored to China.

The Potsdam Proclamation was signed by  China, the United States and the United Kingdom on July 26, 1945, and  subsequently recognized by the Soviet Union. It reiterated: "The terms of the  Cairo Declaration shall be carried out." In September of the same year, Japan  signed the instrument of surrender, in which it promised that it would  faithfully fulfill the obligations laid down in the Potsdam Proclamation. On  October 25 the Chinese government announced that it was resuming the exercise of  sovereignty over Taiwan, and the ceremony to accept Japan's surrender in Taiwan  Province of the China war theater of the Allied powers was held in Taibei  (Taipei). From that point forward, China had recovered Taiwan de jure and de  facto through a host of documents with international legal effect.

On October 1, 1949, the People's Republic  of China (PRC) was founded, becoming the successor to the Republic of China  (1912-1949), and the Central People's Government became the only legitimate  government of the whole of China. The new government replaced the previous KMT  regime in a situation where China, as a subject under international law, did not  change and China's sovereignty and inherent territory did not change. As a  natural result, the government of the PRC should enjoy and exercise China's full  sovereignty, which includes its sovereignty over Taiwan.

As a result of the civil war in China in  the late 1940s and the interference of external forces, the two sides of the  Taiwan Straits have fallen into a state of protracted political confrontation.  But the sovereignty and territory of China have never been divided and will  never be divided, and Taiwan's status as part of China's territory has never  changed and will never be allowed to change.

At its 26th session in October 1971, the  United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, which undertook "to  restore all its rights to the People's Republic of China and to recognize the  representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of  China to the United Nations, and to expel forthwith the representatives of  Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United  Nations and in all the organizations related to it". This resolution settled  once and for all the political, legal and procedural issues of China's  representation in the UN, and it covered the whole country, including Taiwan. It  also spelled out that China has one single seat in the UN, so there is no such  thing as "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan".

The specialized agencies of the UN later  adopted further resolutions restoring to the PRC its lawful seat and expelling  the representatives of the Taiwan authorities. One of these is Resolution 25.1  adopted at the 25th World Health Assembly in May 1972. It was clearly stated in  the official legal opinions of the Office of Legal Affairs of the UN Secretariat  that "the United Nations considers 'Taiwan' as a province of China with no  separate status", and the "'authorities' in 'Taipei' are not considered to...  enjoy any form of government status". At the UN the island is referred to as  "Taiwan, Province of China"[1].

Resolution 2758 is a political document  encapsulating the one-China principle whose legal authority leaves no room for  doubt and has been acknowledged worldwide. Taiwan does not have any ground,  reason, or right to join the UN, or any other international organization whose  membership is confined to sovereign states.

In recent years some elements in a small  number of countries, the US foremost among them, have colluded with forces in  Taiwan, to falsely claim that the resolution did not conclusively resolve the  issue of Taiwan's representation. Puffing up the illegal and invalid Treaty of  San Francisco[2] and disregarding the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam  Proclamation and other international legal documents, they profess that the  status of Taiwan has yet to be determined, and declare their support for  "Taiwan's meaningful participation in the UN system". What they are actually  attempting to do is to alter Taiwan's status as part of China and create "two  Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" as part of a political ploy - using Taiwan to  contain China. These actions in violation of Resolution 2758 and international  law are a serious breach of political commitments made by these countries. They  damage China's sovereignty and dignity, and treat the basic principles of  international law with contempt. The Chinese government has condemned and  expressed its resolute opposition to them.

The one-China principle represents the  universal consensus of the international community; it is consistent with the  basic norms of international relations. To date, 181 countries including the  United States have established diplomatic relations with the PRC on the basis of  the one-China principle. The China-US Joint Communique on the Establishment of  Diplomatic Relations, published in December 1978, states: "The Government of the  United States of America acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one  China and Taiwan is part of China." It also states: "The United States of  America recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole  legal Government of China. Within this context, the people of the United States  will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the  people of Taiwan."

The Constitution of the People's Republic  of China, adopted at the Fifth Session of the Fifth National People's Congress  (NPC) in December 1982, stipulates: "Taiwan is part of the sacred territory of  the People's Republic of China. It is the inviolable duty of all Chinese people,  including our compatriots in Taiwan, to accomplish the great task of reunifying  the motherland."

The Anti-Secession Law, adopted at the  Third Session of the 10th NPC in March 2005, stipulates: "There is only one  China in the world. Both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China. China's  sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no division. Safeguarding China's  sovereignty and territorial integrity is the common obligation of all Chinese  people, the Taiwan compatriots included. Taiwan is part of China. The state  shall never allow the 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces to make Taiwan  secede from China under any name or by any means."

The National Security Law, adopted at the  15th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 12th NPC in July 2015, stipulates:  "The sovereignty and territorial integrity of China brook no violation or  separation. Safeguarding national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity  is the common duty of all Chinese citizens, including Hong Kong, Macao and  Taiwan compatriots."

We are one China, and Taiwan is part of  China. This is an indisputable fact supported by history and the law. Taiwan has  never been a state; its status as part of China is unalterable. Any attempt to  distort these facts and dispute or deny the one-China principle will end in  failure.

II. Resolute Efforts of the CPC to  Realize China's Complete Reunification

The CPC has always been dedicated to  working for the wellbeing of the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the  Chinese nation. Soon after its founding in 1921, the CPC set itself the goal of  freeing Taiwan from colonial rule, reuniting it with the rest of the country and  liberating the whole nation, including compatriots in Taiwan. It has made a  tremendous effort to achieve this goal.

The CPC is committed to the historic  mission of resolving the Taiwan question and realizing China's complete  reunification. Under its resolute leadership, people on both sides of the Taiwan  Straits have worked together to de-escalate tension across the Straits. They  have set out on a path of peaceful development and made many breakthroughs in  improving cross-Straits relations.

After the founding of the PRC in 1949,  China's Communists, under the leadership of Mao Zedong, proposed the essential  guideline, underlying principle, and basic policy for peaceful settlement of the  Taiwan question. The CPC prepared and worked for the liberation of Taiwan,  thwarted the Taiwan authorities' plans to attack the mainland, and foiled  attempts to create "two Chinas" and "one China, one Taiwan". Through their  efforts, the lawful seat and rights of the PRC in the United Nations were  restored and the one-China principle was subscribed to by the majority of  countries, laying important groundwork for peaceful reunification. The CPC  central leadership established high-level contact with the Taiwan authorities  through proper channels in pursuit of a peaceful solution to the Taiwan  question.

Following the Third Plenary Session of the  11th CPC Central Committee in 1978, with the establishment of diplomatic  relations between the PRC and the United States, China's Communists, led by Deng  Xiaoping, defined the fundamental guideline for peaceful reunification in the  vital interests of the country and the people and on the basis of the consensus  for peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question. The CPC introduced the creative  and well-conceived concept of One Country, Two Systems, and applied it first in  resolving the questions of Hong Kong and Macao. It took action to ease military  confrontation across the Taiwan Straits, restore contact, and open up  people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, opening a new chapter in  cross-Straits relations.

After the Fourth Plenary Session of the  13th CPC Central Committee in 1989, China's Communists, led by Jiang Zemin, made  eight proposals for the development of cross-Straits relations and the peaceful  reunification of China[3]. The CPC facilitated agreement across the Straits on  the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle. It initiated  cross-Straits consultations and negotiations, resulting in the first talks  between heads of the non-governmental organizations authorized by the two sides  of the Straits, and expanded cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation in various  fields. The CPC took firm action against separatist activities led by Lee  Teng-hui, and struck hard at the separatist forces seeking "Taiwan  independence". It ensured the smooth return of Hong Kong and Macao to China, and  applied the policy of One Country, Two Systems, which had a constructive impact  on the settlement of the Taiwan question.

After the 16th CPC National Congress in  2002, China's Communists, led by Hu Jintao, highlighted the importance of  peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. The CPC pushed for the  enactment of the Anti-Secession Law to curb separatist activities in Taiwan,  hosted the first talks between the leaders of the CPC and the Kuomintang in six  decades since 1945, and defeated attempts by Chen Shui-bian to fabricate a legal  basis for "independence". The CPC effected profound changes in moving the  peaceful development of cross-Straits relations forward by promoting  institutionalized consultations and negotiations that produced fruitful results,  establishing overall direct two-way links in mail, business and transport, and  facilitating the signing and implementation of the Economic Cooperation  Framework Agreement.

After the 18th CPC National Congress in  2012, China's Communists, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, took a holistic  approach to cross-Straits relations in keeping with changing circumstances,  added substance to the theory on national reunification and the principles and  policies concerning Taiwan, and worked to keep cross-Straits relations on the  right track. The CPC developed its overall policy for resolving the Taiwan  question in the new era, and set out the overarching guideline and a program of  action.

At its 19th National Congress in October  2017, the CPC affirmed the basic policy of upholding One Country, Two Systems  and promoting national reunification, and emphasized its resolve never to allow  any person, any organization, or any political party, at any time or in any  form, to separate any part of Chinese territory from China.

In January 2019, Xi Jinping, general  secretary of the CPC Central Committee and president of China, addressed a  meeting marking the 40th anniversary of the release of the Message to  Compatriots in Taiwan. In his speech, Xi Jinping proposed major policies to  advance the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and the peaceful  reunification of China in the new era. These are: first, working together to  promote China's rejuvenation and its peaceful reunification; second, seeking a  Two Systems solution to the Taiwan question and making innovative efforts  towards peaceful reunification; third, abiding by the one-China principle and  safeguarding the prospects for peaceful reunification; fourth, further  integrating development across the Straits and consolidating the foundations for  peaceful reunification; fifth, forging closer bonds of heart and mind between  people on both sides of the Straits and strengthening joint commitment to  peaceful reunification.

The CPC and the Chinese government have  thereby adopted a series of major measures for charting the course of  cross-Straits relations and realizing China's peaceful reunification:

- The CPC and the Chinese government have  facilitated the first meeting and direct dialogue between leaders of the two  sides since 1949, raising exchanges and interactions to new heights, opening up  a new chapter, and creating new space for cross-Straits relations. This is a new  milestone. The departments in charge of cross-Straits affairs on both sides have  established regular contact and communication mechanisms on a common political  foundation, and the heads of the two departments have exchanged visits and set  up hotlines.

- Upholding the one-China principle and  the 1992 Consensus, the CPC and the Chinese government have facilitated  exchanges between political parties across the Straits, and conducted dialogues,  consultations, and in-depth exchanges of views on cross-Straits relations and  the future of the Chinese nation with relevant political parties, organizations,  and individuals in Taiwan. These efforts have resulted in consensus on multiple  issues, and promoted a number of joint initiatives exploring the Two Systems  solution to the Taiwan question with all sectors of Taiwan society.

- Guided by the conviction that people on  both sides of the Taiwan Straits are of the same family, the CPC and the Chinese  government have promoted peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and  integrated development of the two sides for the benefit of both the mainland and  Taiwan. We have also refined the institutional arrangements, policies and  measures to promote cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation, designed to advance  the wellbeing of the people of Taiwan. These include the delivery of water from  the coastal province of Fujian to Kinmen Island, electronic travel passes for  Taiwan residents to enter or leave the mainland, residence permits for Taiwan  residents, progressively ensuring that Taiwan compatriots have equal access to  public services so as to facilitate their studying, starting businesses, working  and living on the mainland, and an ongoing effort to pave the way for Taiwan to  benefit first from the mainland's development opportunities.

- While countering interference and  obstruction from separatist forces, the CPC and the Chinese government have  called on the people of Taiwan to promote effective and in-depth cooperation and  people-to-people exchanges in various fields across the Straits. Having overcome  the impact of COVID-19, we have held a number of exchange events such as the  Straits Forum, and maintained the momentum of cross-Straits exchanges and  cooperation.

- Resolute in defending state sovereignty  and territorial integrity and opposing separatist activities and external  interference, the CPC and the Chinese government have safeguarded peace and  stability in the Taiwan Straits and the fundamental interests of the Chinese  nation. We have taken lawful action against and effectively deterred separatist  forces. We have handled Taiwan's external exchanges in a sound manner, and  consolidated the international community's commitment to the one-China  principle.

Under the guidance of the CPC, great  progress has been made in cross-Straits relations over the past seven decades,  especially since the estrangement between the two sides was ended. Increased  exchanges, broader cooperation and closer interactions have brought tangible  benefits to people across the Straits, especially of Taiwan. This fully  demonstrates that cross-Straits amity and cooperation are mutually  beneficial.

The volume of cross-Straits trade was only  US$46 million in 1978. It rose to US$328.34 billion in 2021, up by a factor of  more than 7,000. The mainland has been Taiwan's largest export market for the  last 21 years, generating a large annual surplus for the island. The mainland is  also the largest destination for Taiwan's off-island investment. By the end of  2021 Taiwan businesses had invested in almost 124,000 projects on the mainland,  to a total value of US$71.34 billion[4].

In 1987 less than 50,000 visits were made  between the two sides; by 2019 this number had soared to about 9 million. In the  past three years, affected by COVID-19, online communication has become the main  form of people-to-people interactions across the Straits, and the numbers of  people participating in and covered by online communication are reaching new  highs.

The CPC has always been the spine of the  Chinese nation, exercising strong leadership in realizing national rejuvenation  and reunification. Its consistent efforts over the decades to resolve the Taiwan  question and achieve complete national reunification are based on the  following:

First, the one-China principle must be  upheld, and no individual or force should be allowed to separate Taiwan from  China.

Second, it is imperative to strive for the  wellbeing of all Chinese people, including those in Taiwan, and to realize the  aspirations of all Chinese people for a better life.

Third, we must follow the principles of  freeing the mind, seeking truth from facts, maintaining the right political  orientation, and breaking new ground, and defend the fundamental interests of  the nation and the core interests of the state in formulating principles and  policies on work related to Taiwan.

Fourth, it is necessary to have the  courage and skill to fight against any force that attempts to undermine China's  sovereignty and territorial integrity or stands in the way of its  reunification.

Fifth, extensive unity and solidarity must  be upheld to mobilize all factors to fight against any force that would divide  the country, and pool strengths to advance national reunification.

III. China's Complete  Reunification Is a Process That Cannot Be Halted

Against a backdrop of profound and complex  changes in the domestic and international situation, our cause of complete  national reunification is facing new challenges. The CPC and the Chinese  government have the strength and the confidence to deal with complexities and  overcome risks and threats, and the ability to take great strides forward on the  path to national reunification.

1. Complete Reunification Is Critical to  National Rejuvenation

Throughout China's 5,000-year history,  national reunification and opposition to division have remained a common ideal  and a shared tradition of the whole nation. In the modern era from the mid-19th  century, due to the aggression of Western powers and the decadence of feudal  rule, China was gradually reduced to a semi-feudal, semi-colonial society, and  went through a period of suffering worse than anything it had previously known.  The country endured intense humiliation, the people were subjected to great  pain, and the Chinese civilization was plunged into darkness. Japan's 50-year  occupation of Taiwan epitomized this humiliation and inflicted agony on both  sides of the Taiwan Straits. Our two sides face each other just across a strip  of water, yet we are still far apart. The fact that we have not yet been  reunified is a scar left by history on the Chinese nation. We Chinese on both  sides should work together to achieve reunification and heal this  wound.

National rejuvenation has been the  greatest dream of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation since the modern era  began. Only by realizing complete national reunification can the Chinese people  on both sides of the Straits cast aside the shadow of civil war and create and  enjoy lasting peace. National reunification is the only way to avoid the risk of  Taiwan being invaded and occupied again by foreign countries, to foil the  attempts of external forces to contain China, and to safeguard the sovereignty,  security, and development interests of our country. It is the most effective  remedy to secessionist attempts to divide our country, and the best means to  consolidate Taiwan's status as part of China and advance national rejuvenation.  It will enable us to pool the strengths of the people on both sides, build our  common home, safeguard our interests and wellbeing, and create a brighter future  for the Chinese people and the Chinese nation. As Dr Sun Yat-sen, the great  pioneer of China's revolution, once said, "Unification is the hope of all  Chinese nationals. If China can be unified, all Chinese will enjoy a happy life;  if it cannot, all will suffer."

In exploring the path to rejuvenation and  prosperity, China has endured vicissitudes and hardships. "Unification brings  strength while division leads to chaos." This is a law of history. The  realization of complete national reunification is driven by the history and  culture of the Chinese nation and determined by the momentum towards and  circumstances surrounding our national rejuvenation. Never before have we been  so close to, confident in, and capable of achieving the goal of national  rejuvenation. The same is true when it comes to our goal of complete national  reunification. The Taiwan question arose as a result of weakness and chaos in  our nation, and it will be resolved as national rejuvenation becomes a reality.  When all the Chinese people stick together and work together, we will surely  succeed in realizing national reunification on our way to national  rejuvenation.

2. National Development and Progress Set  the Direction of Cross-Straits Relations

China's development and progress are a key  factor determining the course of cross-Straits relations and the realization of  complete national reunification. In particular, the great achievements over four  decades of reform, opening up and modernization have had a profound impact on  the historical process of resolving the Taiwan question and realizing complete  national reunification. No matter which political party or group is in power in  Taiwan, it cannot alter the course of progress in cross-Straits relations or the  trend towards national reunification.

International Monetary Fund statistics  show that in 1980 the GDP of the mainland was about US$303 billion, just over 7  times that of Taiwan, which was about US$42.3 billion; in 2021, the GDP of the  mainland was about US$17.46 trillion, more than 22 times that of Taiwan, which  was about US$790 billion.[5]

China's development and progress, and in  particular the steady increases in its economic power, technological strength,  and national defense capabilities, are an effective curb against separatist  activities and interference from external forces. They also provide broad space  and great opportunities for cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation. As more and  more compatriots from Taiwan, especially young people, pursue their studies,  start businesses, seek jobs, or go to live on the mainland, cross-Straits  exchanges, interaction and integration are intensified in all sectors, the  economic ties and personal bonds between the people on both sides run deeper,  and our common cultural and national identities grow stronger, leading  cross-Straits relations towards reunification.

The CPC has united the Chinese people and  led them in embarking on the new journey of building China into a modern  socialist country in all respects. Following the path of socialism with Chinese  characteristics, the mainland has improved its governance and maintained  long-term economic growth; it enjoys a solid material foundation, a wealth of  human resources, a huge market, strong resilience in development, and social  stability. It therefore has many strengths and favorable conditions for further  development, and these have become the driving force for  reunification.

Grounding its effort in the new  development stage, the mainland is committed to applying the new development  philosophy, creating a new development dynamic, and promoting high-quality  development. As a result, the overall strength and international influence of  the mainland will continue to increase, and its influence over and appeal to  Taiwan society will keep growing. We will have a more solid foundation for  resolving the Taiwan question and greater ability to do so. This will give a  significant boost to national reunification.

3. Any Attempt by Separatist Forces to  Prevent Reunification Is Bound to Fail

Taiwan has been an integral part of  China's territory since ancient times. Moves to separate Taiwan from China  represent the serious crime of secession, and undermine the common interests of  compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits and the fundamental interests of  the Chinese nation. They will lead nowhere.

The DPP authorities have adopted a  separatist stance, and colluded with external forces in successive provocative  actions designed to divide the country. They refuse to recognize the one-China  principle, and distort and deny the 1992 Consensus. They assert that Taiwan and  the mainland should not be subordinate to each other, and proclaim a new "two  states" theory. On the island, they constantly press for "de-sinicization" and  promote "incremental independence". They incite radical separatists in and  outside the DPP to lobby for amendments to their "constitution" and "laws". They  deceive the people of Taiwan, incite hostility against the mainland, and  obstruct and undermine cross-Straits exchanges, cooperation and integrated  development. They have steadily built up their military forces with the  intention of pursuing "independence" and preventing reunification by force. They  join with external forces in trying to sow the seeds of "two Chinas" or "one  China, one Taiwan". The actions of the DPP authorities have resulted in tension  in cross-Straits relations, endangering peace and stability in the Taiwan  Straits, and undermining the prospects and restricting the space for peaceful  reunification. These are obstacles that must be removed in advancing the process  of peaceful reunification.

Taiwan belongs to all the Chinese people,  including the 23 million Taiwan compatriots. The Chinese people are firm in  their resolve and have a deep commitment to safeguarding China's sovereignty and  territorial integrity, and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, and  this resolve and commitment will frustrate any attempt to divide the country.  When Taiwan was invaded by a foreign power more than 100 years ago, China was a  poor and weak country. More than 70 years ago, China defeated the invaders and  recovered Taiwan. Today, China has grown into the world's second largest  economy. With significant growth in its political, economic, cultural,  technological, and military strength, there is no likelihood that China will  allow Taiwan to be separated again. Attempts to reject reunification and split  the country are doomed, because they will founder against the history and  culture of the Chinese nation as well as the resolve and commitment of more than  1.4 billion Chinese people.

4. External Forces Obstructing China's  Complete Reunification Will Surely Be Defeated

External interference is a prominent  obstacle to China's reunification. Still lost in delusions of hegemony and  trapped in a Cold War mindset, some forces in the US insist on perceiving and  portraying China as a major strategic adversary and a serious long-term threat.  They do their utmost to undermine and pressurize China, exploiting Taiwan as a  convenient tool. The US authorities have stated that they remain committed to  the one-China policy and that they do not support "Taiwan independence". But  their actions contradict their words. They are clouding the one-China principle  in uncertainty and compromising its integrity. They are contriving "official"  exchanges with Taiwan, increasing arms sales, and colluding in military  provocation. To help Taiwan expand its "international space", they are inducing  other countries to interfere in Taiwan affairs, and concocting Taiwan-related  bills that infringe upon the sovereignty of China. They are creating confusion  around what is black and white, right and wrong. On the one hand, they incite  separatist forces to create tension and turmoil in cross-Straits relations. On  the other hand, they accuse the mainland of coercion, pressurizing Taiwan, and  unilaterally changing the status quo, in order to embolden these forces and  create obstacles to China's peaceful reunification.

The important principles of respecting  state sovereignty and territorial integrity as enshrined in the Charter of the  United Nations are the cornerstones of modern international law and basic norms  of international relations. It is the sacred right of every sovereign state to  safeguard national unity and territorial integrity. It goes without saying that  the Chinese government is entitled to take all measures necessary to settle the  Taiwan question and achieve national reunification, free of external  interference.

Behind the smokescreens of "freedom,  democracy, and human rights" and "upholding the rules-based international  order", some anti-China forces in the US deliberately distort the nature of the  Taiwan question - which is purely an internal matter for China - and try to deny  the legitimacy and justification of the Chinese government in safeguarding  national sovereignty and territorial integrity. This clearly reveals their  intention of using Taiwan to contain China and obstruct China's reunification,  which should be thoroughly exposed and condemned.

These external forces are using Taiwan as  a pawn to undermine China's development and progress, and obstruct the  rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. They are doing so at the cost of the  interests, wellbeing and future of the people of Taiwan rather than for their  benefit. They have encouraged and instigated provocative actions by the  separatist forces; these have intensified cross-Straits tension and  confrontation, and undermined peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.  This runs counter to the underlying global trends of peace, development and  win-win cooperation, and goes against the wishes of the international community  and the aspiration of all peoples.

Shortly after the PRC was founded, even  though the country itself had to be rebuilt on the ruins of decades of war,  China and its people won a resounding victory in the War to Resist US Aggression  and Aid Korea (1950-1953). We defeated a powerful and well-armed enemy through  gallantry and tenacity. In doing so, we safeguarded the security of the newly  founded People's Republic, reestablished the status of China as a major country  in the world, and demonstrated our heroic spirit, our lack of fear, and our will  to stand up against the abuse of the powerful.

China is firmly committed to peaceful  development. At the same time, it will not flinch under any external  interference, nor will it tolerate any infringement upon its sovereignty,  security and development interests. Relying on external forces will achieve  nothing for Taiwan's separatists, and using Taiwan to contain China is doomed to  fail.

Tranquility, development and a decent life  are the expectations of our Taiwan compatriots, and the common aspiration of  those on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. Under the strong leadership of the  CPC, the Chinese people and the Chinese nation have stood upright, won  prosperity, and grown in strength. A moderately prosperous society in all  respects has been built on the mainland, where a large population once lived in  dire poverty. We now have better conditions, more confidence, and greater  capabilities. We can complete the historic mission of national reunification, so  that both sides of the Straits can enjoy a better life. The wheel of history  rolls on towards national reunification, and it will not be stopped by any  individual or any force.

IV. National Reunification in the  New Era

Taking into consideration the overall goal  of national rejuvenation in the context of global change on a scale unseen in a  century, the CPC and the Chinese government have continued to follow the CPC's  fundamental guidelines on the Taiwan question and implement its principles and  policies towards Taiwan, and have made concrete efforts to promote peaceful  cross-Straits relations, integrate the development of the two sides, and work  towards national reunification.

1. Upholding the Basic Principles of  Peaceful Reunification and One Country, Two Systems

National reunification by peaceful means  is the first choice of the CPC and the Chinese government in resolving the  Taiwan question, as it best serves the interests of the Chinese nation as a  whole, including our compatriots in Taiwan, and it works best for the long-term  stability and development of China. We have worked hard to overcome hardships  and obstacles to peaceful reunification over the past decades, showing that we  cherish and safeguard the greater good of the nation, the wellbeing of our  compatriots in Taiwan, and peace on both sides.

The One Country, Two Systems principle is  an important institutional instrument created by the CPC and the Chinese  government to enable peaceful reunification. It represents a great achievement  of Chinese socialism. Peaceful reunification and One Country, Two Systems are  our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question and the best approach to  realizing national reunification. Embodying the Chinese wisdom - we thrive by  embracing each other - they take full account of Taiwan's realities and are  conducive to long-term stability in Taiwan after reunification.

We maintain that after peaceful  reunification, Taiwan may continue its current social system and enjoy a high  degree of autonomy in accordance with the law. The two social systems will  develop side by side for a long time to come. One Country is the precondition  and foundation of Two Systems; Two Systems is subordinate to and derives from  One Country; and the two are integrated under the one-China  principle.

We will continue working with our  compatriots in Taiwan to explore a Two Systems solution to the Taiwan question  and increase our efforts towards peaceful reunification. In designing the  specifics for implementing One Country, Two Systems, we will give full  consideration to the realities in Taiwan and the views and proposals from all  walks of life on both sides, and fully accommodate the interests and sentiments  of our compatriots in Taiwan.

Ever since the One Country, Two Systems  principle was proposed, certain political forces have been misrepresenting and  distorting its objectives. The DPP and the authorities under its leadership have  done everything possible to target the principle with baseless criticisms, and  this has led to misunderstandings about its aims in some quarters of Taiwan. It  is a fact that since Hong Kong and Macao returned to the motherland and were  reincorporated into national governance, they have embarked on a broad path of  shared development together with the mainland, and each complements the others'  strengths. The practice of One Country, Two Systems has been a resounding  success.

For a time, Hong Kong faced a period of  damaging social unrest caused by anti-China agitators both inside and outside  the region. Based on a clear understanding of the situation there, the CPC and  the Chinese government upheld the One Country, Two Systems principle, made some  appropriate improvements, and took a series of measures that addressed both the  symptoms and root causes of the unrest. Order was restored and prosperity  returned to Hong Kong. This has laid a solid foundation for the law-based  governance of Hong Kong and Macao and the long-term continuation of One Country,  Two Systems.

To realize peaceful reunification, we must  acknowledge that the mainland and Taiwan have their own distinct social systems  and ideologies. The One Country, Two Systems principle is the most inclusive  solution to this problem. It is an approach that is grounded in democratic  principles, demonstrates good will, seeks peaceful resolution of the Taiwan  question, and delivers mutual benefit. The differences in social system are  neither an obstacle to reunification nor a justification for secessionism. We  firmly believe that our compatriots in Taiwan will develop a better  understanding of the principle, and that the Two Systems solution to the Taiwan  question will play its full role while compatriots on both sides work together  towards peaceful reunification.

Peaceful reunification can only be  achieved through consultation and discussion as equals. The long-standing  political differences between the two sides are the fundamental obstacles to the  steady improvement of cross-Straits relations, but we should not allow this  problem to be passed down from one generation to the next. We can phase in  flexible forms of consultation and discussion. We are ready to engage with all  parties, groups, or individuals in Taiwan in a broad exchange of views aimed at  resolving the political differences between the two sides based on the one-China  principle and the 1992 Consensus. Representatives will be recommended by all  political parties and all sectors of society on both sides, and they will engage  in democratic consultations on peaceful development of cross-Straits relations,  integrated development of the two sides, and the peaceful reunification of our  country.

2. Promoting Peaceful Cross-Straits  Relations and Integrated Development

Peaceful cross-Straits relations and  integrated development pave the way for reunification and serve to benefit our  people on both sides. Thus, both sides should work together towards this goal.  We will extend integrated development, increase exchanges and cooperation,  strengthen bonds, and expand common interests in the peaceful development of  cross-Straits relations. In this way, we will all identify more closely with the  Chinese culture and Chinese nation, and heighten the sense of our shared future.  This lays solid foundations for peaceful reunification.

We will explore an innovative approach to  integrated development and take the lead in setting up a pilot zone for  integrated cross-Straits development in Fujian Province, advancing integration  through better connectivity and more preferential policies, and based on mutual  trust and understanding. Both sides should continue to promote connectivity in  any area where it is beneficial, including trade and economic cooperation,  infrastructure, energy and resources, and industrial standards. We should  promote cooperation in culture, education, and health care, and the sharing of  social security and public resources. We should support neighboring areas or  areas with similar conditions on the two sides in providing equal, universal,  and accessible public services. We should take active steps to institutionalize  cross-Straits economic cooperation and create a common market for the two sides  to strengthen the Chinese economy.

We will improve the systems and policies  to guarantee the wellbeing of Taiwan compatriots and ensure that they are  treated as equals on the mainland, and we will protect their legitimate rights  and interests here in accordance with the law. We will support our fellow  Chinese and enterprises from Taiwan in participating in the Belt and Road  Initiative, major regional development strategies, and the strategy for  coordinated regional development. We will help them integrate into the new  development dynamic, participate in high-quality development, share in more  development opportunities, and benefit from national socio-economic  development.

We will expand cross-Straits exchanges and  cooperation in various fields and overcome any obstacles and obstruction. We  will encourage our people on both sides to pass on the best of traditional  Chinese culture and ensure that it grows in new and creative ways. We will  strengthen communication among the general public and the younger generations on  both sides, and encourage more fellow Chinese in Taiwan - young people in  particular - to pursue studies, start businesses, seek jobs, or live on the  mainland. This will help people on both sides to expand mutual understanding,  strengthen mutual trust, consolidate a shared sense of identity, and forge  closer bonds of heart and mind.

3. Defeating Separatism and External  Interference

Separatism will plunge Taiwan into the  abyss and bring nothing but disaster to the island. To protect the interests of  the Chinese nation as a whole, including our compatriots in Taiwan, we must  resolutely oppose it and work for peaceful reunification. We are ready to create  vast space for peaceful reunification; but we will leave no room for separatist  activities in any form.

We Chinese will decide our own affairs.  The Taiwan question is an internal affair that involves China's core interests  and the Chinese people's national sentiments, and no external interference will  be tolerated. Any attempt to use the Taiwan question as a pretext to interfere  in China's internal affairs or obstruct China's reunification will meet with the  resolute opposition of the Chinese people, including our compatriots in Taiwan.  No one should underestimate our resolve, will and ability to defend China's  sovereignty and territorial integrity.

We will work with the greatest sincerity  and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. But we will not  renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary  measures. This is to guard against external interference and all separatist  activities. In no way does it target our fellow Chinese in Taiwan. Use of force  would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances. We will only be  forced to take drastic measures to respond to the provocation of separatist  elements or external forces should they ever cross our red lines.

We will always be ready to respond with  the use of force or other necessary means to interference by external forces or  radical action by separatist elements. Our ultimate goal is to ensure the  prospects of China's peaceful reunification and advance this process.

Some forces in the US are making every  effort to incite groups inside Taiwan to stir up trouble and use Taiwan as a  pawn against China. This has jeopardized peace and stability across the Taiwan  Straits, obstructed the Chinese government's efforts towards peaceful  reunification, and undermined the healthy and steady development of China-US  relations. Left unchecked, it will continue to escalate tension across the  Straits, further disrupt China-US relations, and severely damage the interests  of the US itself. The US should abide by the one-China principle, deal with  Taiwan-related issues in a prudent and proper manner, stand by its previous  commitments, and stop supporting Taiwan separatists.

4. Working with Our Fellow Chinese in  Taiwan Towards National Reunification and Rejuvenation

National reunification is an essential  step towards national rejuvenation. The future of Taiwan lies in China's  reunification, and the wellbeing of the people in Taiwan hinges on the  rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, an endeavor that bears on the future and  destiny of the people on both sides. A united and prosperous China will be a  blessing for all Chinese, while a weak and divided China will be a disaster.  Only China's rejuvenation and prosperity can bring lives of plenty and happiness  to both sides. But it requires the joint efforts of both sides, as does the  complete reunification of the country.

Separatist propaganda and the unresolved  political dispute between the two sides have created misconceptions over  cross-Straits relations, problems with national identity, and misgivings over  national reunification among some fellow Chinese in Taiwan. Blood is thicker  than water, and people on both sides of the Straits share the bond of kinship.  We have great patience and tolerance and we will create conditions for closer  exchanges and communication between the two sides, and to increase our  compatriots' knowledge of the mainland and reduce these misconceptions and  misgivings, in order to help them resist the manipulation of  separatists.

We will join hands with our fellow Chinese  in Taiwan to strive for national reunification and rejuvenation. We hope they  will stand on the right side of history, be proud of their Chinese identity, and  fully consider the position and role of Taiwan in China's rejuvenation. We hope  they will pursue the greater good of the nation, resolutely oppose separatism  and any form of external interference, and make a positive contribution to the  just cause of China's peaceful reunification.

V. Bright Prospects for Peaceful  Reunification

Once peaceful reunification is achieved  under One Country, Two Systems, it will lay new foundations for China to make  further progress and achieve national rejuvenation. At the same time, it will  create huge opportunities for social and economic development in Taiwan and  bring tangible benefits to the people of Taiwan.

1. Taiwan Will Have a Vast Space for  Development

Taiwan boasts a high level of economic  growth, industries with distinctive local features, and robust foreign trade.  Its economy is highly complementary with that of the mainland. After  reunification, the systems and mechanisms for cross-Straits economic cooperation  will be further improved. Backed up by the vast mainland market, Taiwan's  economy will enjoy broader prospects, become more competitive, develop steadier  and smoother industrial and supply chains, and display greater vitality in  innovation-driven growth. Many problems that have long afflicted Taiwan's  economy and its people can be resolved through integrated cross-Straits  development with all possible connectivity between the two sides. Taiwan's  fiscal revenues can be better employed to improve living standards, bringing  real benefits to the people and resolving their difficulties.

Taiwan's cultural creativity will also  enjoy a great boost. Both sides of the Taiwan Straits share the culture and  ethos of the Chinese nation. Nourished by the Chinese civilization, Taiwan's  regional culture will flourish and prosper.

2. The Rights and Interests of the People  in Taiwan Will Be Fully Protected

Provided that China's sovereignty,  security and development interests are guaranteed, after reunification Taiwan  will enjoy a high degree of autonomy as a special administrative region.  Taiwan's social system and its way of life will be fully respected, and the  private property, religious beliefs, and lawful rights and interests of the  people in Taiwan will be fully protected. All Taiwan compatriots who support  reunification of the country and rejuvenation of the nation will be the masters  of the region, contributing to and benefitting from China's development. With a  powerful motherland in support, the people of Taiwan will enjoy greater security  and dignity and stand upright and rock-solid in the international  community.

3. Both Sides of the Taiwan Straits Will  Share the Triumph of National Rejuvenation

The people of Taiwan are brave, diligent  and patriotic, and have made unremitting efforts to improve themselves. They  revere their ancestry and love their homeland. Working together and applying  their talents, people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits will create a  promising future. After reunification, we Chinese will bridge gaps and  differences caused by long-term separation, share a stronger sense of national  identity, and stand together as one. After reunification, we can leverage  complementary strengths in pursuit of mutual benefit and common development.  After reunification, we can join hands to make the Chinese nation stronger and  more prosperous, and stand taller among all the nations of the world.

The people separated by the Taiwan Straits  share the same blood and a common destiny. After reunification, China will have  greater international influence and appeal, and a stronger ability to shape  international public opinion, and the Chinese people will enjoy greater  self-esteem, self-confidence and national pride. In Taiwan and on the mainland  the people will share the dignity and triumph of a united China and be proud of  being Chinese. We will work together to refine and implement the Two Systems  solution to the Taiwan question, to improve the institutional arrangements for  implementing the One Country, Two Systems policy, and to ensure lasting peace  and stability in Taiwan.

4. Peaceful Reunification of China Is  Conducive to Peace and Development in the Asia-Pacific and the Wider  World

Peaceful cross-Straits reunification is of  benefit not only to the Chinese nation, but to all peoples and the international  community as a whole. The reunification of China will not harm the legitimate  interests of any other country, including any economic interests they might have  in Taiwan. On the contrary, it will bring more development opportunities to all  countries; it will create more positive momentum for prosperity and stability in  the Asia-Pacific and the rest of the world; it will contribute more to building  a global community of shared future, promoting world peace and development, and  propelling human progress.

After reunification, foreign countries can  continue to develop economic and cultural relations with Taiwan. With the  approval of the central government of China, they may set up consulates or other  official and quasi-official institutions in Taiwan, international organizations  and agencies may establish offices, relevant international conventions can be  applied, and relevant international conferences can be held there.

Conclusion

Over its 5,000-year history, China has  created a splendid culture that has shone throughout the world from past times  to present, and has made an enormous contribution to human society. After a  century of suffering and hardship, the nation has overcome humiliation, emerged  from backwardness, and embraced boundless development opportunities. Now, it is  striding towards the goal of national rejuvenation.

Embarking on a new journey in a new era,  the CPC and the Chinese government will continue to rally compatriots on both  sides of the Taiwan Straits, and lead the efforts to answer the call of the  times, shoulder historic responsibilities, grasp our fate and our future in our  own hands, and work hard to achieve national reunification and  rejuvenation.

The journey ahead cannot be all smooth  sailing. However, as long as we Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Straits  devote our ingenuity and energy to the same goal, let there be no doubt - we  will tolerate no foreign interference in Taiwan, we will thwart any attempt to  divide our country, and we will combine as a mighty force for national  reunification and rejuvenation. The historic goal of reuniting our motherland  must be realized and will be realized.

Notes

[1] United Nations Juridical Yearbook  2010, p. 516.

[2] Between September 4 and 8, 1951, the  United States gathered a number of countries in San Francisco for what they  described as the San Francisco Peace Conference. Neither the PRC nor the Soviet  Union received an invitation. The treaty signed at this meeting, commonly known  as the Treaty of San Francisco, included an article under which Japan renounced  all rights, title and claim to Taiwan and the Penghu Islands. This treaty  contravened the provisions of the Declaration by United Nations signed by 26  countries - including the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union  and China - in 1942, the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, and the basic  norms of international law. The PRC was excluded from its preparation, drafting  and signing, and its rulings on the territory and sovereign rights of China -  including the sovereignty over Taiwan - are therefore illegal and invalid. The  Chinese government has always refused to recognize the Treaty of San Francisco,  and has never from the outset deviated from this stance. Other countries,  including the Soviet Union, Poland, Czechoslovakia, the Democratic People's  Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and Vietnam, have also refused to recognize the  document's authority.

[3] In his speech titled "Continue to  Promote the Reunification of the Motherland" on January 30, 1995, Jiang Zemin,  then general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and president of China, made  eight proposals for the development of cross-Straits relations and peaceful  national reunification. He emphasized, "Adhering to the one-China principle is  the basis and prerequisite for peaceful reunification", and "in not promising to  renounce the use of force, we are in no way targeting our Taiwan compatriots,  but rather foreign forces conspiring to interfere in China's peaceful  reunification and bring about Taiwan independence". (See Selected Works of Jiang  Zemin, Vol. I, Eng. ed., Foreign Languages Press, Beijing, 2009, pp.  407-412.)

[4] This figure does not include  reinvestment by Taiwan investors through a third place.

[5] From the statistics of the April 2022  edition of the World Economic Outlook databases of the International Monetary  Fund.