China’s ‘two sessions’ 2024: foreign supporters of Taiwan independence warned they will ‘get burned for playing with fire and taste a bitter fruit’
- Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a press conference that ‘separatist activities’ are the most destructive force in the Taiwan Strait
- He was speaking at a time of heightened cross-strait tensions, but still stressed that Beijing is hoping for a peaceful reunification with the island
“Separatist activities seeking Taiwan independence remain the most destructive factor to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” Wang said.
In a message to the international community, he added: “Whoever engages in Taiwan independence activities on the island will be held accountable by history and whoever in the world connives at and supports Taiwan independence will get burned for playing with fire and taste the bitter fruit of their own actions.”
But he also stressed that Beijing still hoped for a peaceful reunification, saying: “Our policy is clear. We insist on striving for the prospect of peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity.
“Our bottom line is also crystal clear: We will never allow Taiwan to be separated from the mainland.”
Beijing sees the self-ruled island as part of China that must be reunited with the mainland – by force if necessary.
Most countries, including the United States – the island’s informal ally and biggest arms supplier – do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state. But many still maintain strong unofficial ties with Taipei, while Washington and others are opposed to any change to the status quo by force.
In recent years, the mainland military has been steadily increasing the pressure on the island with a series of exercises around Taiwan and repeated sorties by warplanes into its air defence identification zone.
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Taiwan drives away mainland Chinese coastguard in series of tense exchanges
The result has been increasing international expressions of concern about the risk of conflict and multiple visits to the islands by politicians from the US, Europe and Japan.
Although Wang did not refer directly to the US or other countries when discussing Taiwan, the comments highlight Beijing’s growing concern about international support for Taiwan.
Last month two mainland fishermen died after their boat capsized while being chased by the Taiwanese coastguard near the island of Quemoy, also known as Kinmen, which lies just off the coast of the mainland province of Fujian.
The two sides blamed each other for the incident, putting cross-strait relations under further strain after January’s presidential election was won by the Democratic Progressive Party’s William Lai Ching-te, who Beijing has repeatedly denounced as a dangerous separatist and troublemaker.
He vowed to follow many of the policies of President Tsai Ing-wen and has adopted her formula that there is no need for Taiwan to declare formal independence because it is already a sovereign and independent country.
Lai will take office in May and his inaugural speech will be closely watched by Beijing as it looks for clues about what approach he will adopt over the next four years.
