Xi Jinping Drew the Bottom Line, the Tsai Government Must Not Ask Lucifer for Medical Advice

  Xi Jinping Drew the Bottom Line, the Tsai Government Must Not Ask Lucifer for Medical Advice

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

October 20, 2017

 Translation of an Excerpt

With regard to Xi Jinping’s remarks toward Taiwan in his report to the 19th National People’s Congress (NPC), outside circles had various speculations. Now it has been confirmed that the "1992 Consensus" and the "six impermissibles" against Taiwan independence are still important key phrases in cross-Strait relations.

Xi Jinping once again affirmed the "1992 Consensus" as the "fundamental policy" for cross-Strait peaceful development. In so far as the Mainland is concerned, the "Ma-Xi meeting" was a significant achievement in Xi Jinping's work toward Taiwan; this is pushing cross-Strait political interactions towards new heights on the basis of the "1992 Consensus," and confirming the new standard for the political status quo. The "1992 Consensus" is the only standard to examine "maintaining the status quo" on the part of Tsai Ying-wen; however Tsai Ying-wen makes her narrative, she will be asked to unambiguously define the fundamental nature of cross-Strait relations.

Precisely because Tsai Ying-wen rejects the "1992 Consensus," the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations still remains the main axis, but it is no longer the logical outcome. The greatest special feature in the thinking of Xi Jinping's policy statement toward Taiwan this time is deepening cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation, as well as the “six impermissibles” against Taiwan independence, a two-handed strategy of blending the hard-line with softness. Xi Jinping clearly stated that the Mainland "would absolutely never permit any individual, any organization, or any political party to split any piece of Chinese territory from China at any time or in any form." In addition, he emphasized the Mainland has the will, the confidence and the capability to defeat any Taiwan independence moves. The Mainland not only raised the anti-independence decibel, the rhetoric also became more stringent.

Studying and judging cross-Strait relations following the closing of the 19^th NPC, we should not just read the contents of the report on cross-Strait relations, we should also note Xi Jinping's strong sense of mission toward "national renaissance." Xi Jinping stresses pushing for the progression of the peaceful reunification of the motherland, and pointing out directly that the complete reunification of the country is "a logical demand for fulfilling the great renaissance of the Chinese nation." For the purpose of erecting a new milestone in the progression for national renaissance, the exclusion of Taiwan would not fulfill the "China dream."

Premier Lai Ching-te, a couple of days ago, criticized the Mainland’s policies toward Taiwan of blockading Taiwan externally, creating divisions internally, and cultivating specific groups, saying it was like "asking Lucifer for medical advice" on our part. In contrast, he described his "advocacy of Taiwan independence" as honest goodwill. In actuality, neither was appropriate rhetoric. His slip of the tongue and ignorance, in so far as Tsai Yingwen’s arduous and risky cross-Strait policies are concerned, sound, we are afraid, like "asking Lucifer for medical advice."

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