Premier Li Keqiang reiterates there will be steps to oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ and promote ‘reunification’ with the island
Delivering the government’s work report, he says Beijing has resolutely fought against separatism and countered interference
Outgoing Premier Li Keqiang delivers the government’s annual work report at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sunday. Photo: AP
Beijing will ramp up efforts to restore exchanges and economic ties with Taiwan, with Premier Li Keqiang taking a conciliatory tone on the island as he delivered the government work report on Sunday.
Li reiterated that Beijing would take resolute steps to oppose “Taiwan independence” and promote “reunification” with the island.
“As we Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family bound by blood, we should advance economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation … and improve the systems and policies that contribute to the well-being of our Taiwan compatriots,” Li said at the start of the annual legislative session in Beijing.
There was no mention of opposing foreign interference on Taiwan in the plan for this year, as there was in last year’s government work report.
It comes as tensions are soaring across the Taiwan Strait, with concern growing that Beijing might try to take the self-ruled island – which it sees as its territory – by force in the next few years.
Beijing’s defence budget was also unveiled on Sunday, up by 7.2 per cent to 1.5537 trillion yuan (US$224.9 billion) – a slight increase from last year’s 7.1 per cent growth.
Taiwan’s presidential election is meanwhile looming early next year, and some analysts in Beijing say there is a shift in public opinion on the island towards peace and opposing provocations by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which has rejected the one-China principle.
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The more moderate tone on Taiwan also comes as the United States is seeking closer ties with the island. That includes two rounds of trade talks under the new US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, an effort to boost economic ties opposed by Beijing. Taipei and Washington indicated during talks in January that they could reach agreement on issues such as trade facilitation and the promotion of good regulatory practices.
Li said Beijing had resolutely fought against separatism and countered interference. He was referring to People’s Liberation Army activities last year such as the unprecedented drills held around Taiwan after then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, and regular warplane sorties near the island.
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The outgoing premier said Beijing would adhere to the one-China principle and the 1992 consensus and promote the peaceful development of cross-strait ties, while the process of “peaceful reunification” would be advanced.
“We should encourage people on both sides of the strait to jointly promote Chinese culture and advance China’s rejuvenation,” Li said to loud applause from the nearly 3,000 National People’s Congress deputies watching on in the Great Hall of the People.
Relations have deteriorated across the strait since Tsai Ing-wen, of the pro-independence DPP, was elected president in 2016. Tsai refused to endorse the 1992 consensus – a tacit understanding that both sides recognise that there is only one China, but each can have its own interpretation of what that means.
Exchanges between the two sides have been largely suspended since then, and Beijing has repeatedly said it would not rule out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control and stepped up military intimidation of the island.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has fuelled concerns that Beijing could launch an attack on Taiwan, while Beijing has urged the world not to draw parallels between Ukraine and Taiwan.
Responding to Li’s report, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement that Beijing should handle cross-strait issues in a rational and equal way, with mutual respect.
It also called on the leadership in Beijing to accept that “the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not affiliated with each other”, to respect Taiwanese people’s adherence to democracy and freedom, and to give up political coercion.
There have been signs in recent months of efforts by Beijing to promote cross-strait exchanges. That includes talks in February in Beijing between Song Tao, the new head of the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office, and a delegation of senior Taiwanese politicians led by Andrew Hsia, vice-chairman of the opposition Kuomintang party.
Beijing also resumed imports early this year from more than 60 Taiwanese food suppliers that had been barred, and indicated it would continue to restore transport links between Taiwan and mainland China that were suspended because of Covid-19 restrictions and political tensions.
Zhang Wensheng, deputy dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Xiamen University, said mentions of Beijing’s policy on Taiwan in the government work report were “moderate”.
“In the coming stage, restoring and promoting cross-strait exchanges, and promoting the peaceful and integrated development of cross-strait relations will be the focus of the Taiwan policy,” Zhang said.
Last month CIA director William Burns said US intelligence showed that President Xi Jinping had told his country’s military to “be ready by 2027” to invade Taiwan though Xi might now be harbouring doubts about his ability to do so given Russia’s experience in its war with Ukraine.
This comes after a previous assessment made by a US military official that Beijing could invade the island as soon as this year, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s comment last year that China was pursuing “reunification on a much faster timeline”.
Beijing’s decision to highlight peaceful reunification and cross-strait exchanges in the work report could be an effort to counter the US narrative, with Qin Gang, China’s foreign minister, urging countries last month to stop advocating “Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow”.
