Overseas Chinese express shared aspiration for China's complete reunification

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, which resonated strongly among overseas Chinese.

In separate interviews with Xinhua, overseas Chinese were of the same mind that the white paper demonstrates the firm will and determination of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people in pursuit of national reunification, and reveals the egregious moves of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities "seeking independence by soliciting U.S. support" and external forces attempting to "use Taiwan to contain China." They also expressed confidence in the bright future for the great cause of China's reunification.

CPC'S LEADERSHIP: KEY TO NATIONAL REJUVENATION, REUNIFICATION

The white paper points out that 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 CPC.

Many overseas Chinese said they can see from the white paper the strong determination, firm will and strong ability of the CPC and the Chinese government to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity and to realize the complete reunification of the motherland, which makes them feel very excited.

"It is an indisputable fact that Taiwan has belonged to China since ancient times. The CPC and the Chinese government have always made it an unswerving historical task to realize the complete reunification of the motherland," said Lu Hongmin, executive director of the Federation of Ottawa Chinese-Canadian Community Organizations.

"We are convinced that the Chinese nation, with a splendid civilization history of more than 5,000 years, will realize the great historical mission of complete reunification of the motherland with its will, wisdom and ability," said Lu.

Liu Shufang, vice president of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Cuba, said Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, which is the universal consensus of the international community.

"We can see that the CPC is firmly committed to the complete reunification of the motherland and has made great efforts to promote the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Straits relations and uniting compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits," Liu said.

"The CPC has always cared about the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots, and has been working tirelessly for the peaceful reunification of China and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It is the backbone of the Chinese people and nation, and the firm leadership core for national rejuvenation and reunification," said Qiao Fengxiang, president of the National Association of Chinese-Americans.

Wu Youyi, president of Western America Chinese Peaceful Unification, said that the white paper reviewed the principles and policies adopted by the CPC to resolve the Taiwan question at various historical stages, and systematically expounded the major policies and policy propositions of the CPC and the Chinese government to promote the reunification of the motherland in the new era.

Wu said that the CPC has always regarded resolving the Taiwan question and realizing the complete reunification of the motherland as an unswerving historical task, and has played a core leadership role in resolving the Taiwan question.

Li Zhuohui, editor-in-chief of Harian Xin Bao Indonesia, has noticed "the greatest sincerity and efforts" from the CPC and the Chinese government in promoting peaceful reunification. He said the CPC and the Chinese government have put forward the most feasible guidelines and policies, fully respecting and considering the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots.

The two sides should enhance mutual trust and recognition on the common political basis of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," so as to lift their exchanges and interactions to a new height, Li said.

"Taiwan is part of China's territory, and the historical and legal facts are clear and unquestionable," said Xu Yiping, president of the Association of Culture and Commerce of China in Chile.

"I believe that in the new era and on the new journey, the CPC and the Chinese government will continue to unite and lead the compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits to achieve the complete reunification of the motherland and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The historical task of the complete reunification of the motherland will surely be realized," Xu said.

SEEKING INDEPENDENCE A DEAD END; USING TAIWAN TO CONTAIN CHINA DOOMED TO FAIL

To protect the interests of the Chinese nation as a whole, including our compatriots in Taiwan, we must resolutely oppose it (separatism) and work for peaceful reunification, the white paper emphasized.

"We Chinese will decide our own affairs," it said, adding 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.

Zhu Hailun, chairman of the Finnish Association for Promoting Peaceful Reunification of China, has considerable reflections on the white paper, saying "Taiwan independence" separatists and a small number of foreign politicians were just making a noise with their clumsy political stunts in the process of China's national reunification.

To challenge the one-China principle is to make an enemy of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people, Zhu said, adding that attempts to hinder China's complete reunification are doomed.

"National reunification reflects the aspiration of the people and meets the call of the times, which cannot be impeded by anyone or any force," said Qian Qiguo, chairman of the Australian Alliance for Peaceful Chinese Reunification.

Associations in Australia for promoting China's reunification regard the Taiwan question purely as an internal affair of China, which brooks no external interference, Qian said, stressing that the Chinese people have the strong will to secure national reunification and territorial integrity.

Zhao Qian, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Branch of the Business Association of China in Vietnam, said that in recent years, the Taiwan authorities led by the DPP have caused tensions in cross-Straits relations by relying on foreign forces to seek independence, while some external forces have taken the chance to make provocations.

These obstacles, endangering peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, must be cleared in China's endeavor for peaceful reunification, Zhao said.

The United States has been playing the "Taiwan card" deliberately to incite the separatist forces to stir up troubles, which has jeopardized regional peace and stability, said Bai Yi, president of the Federation of Overseas Chinese and Chinese Businessmen Association the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, who believes that any plot for "Taiwan independence" or external interference will surely be thwarted.

Relying on external forces to seek independence is a dead end and attempts to use Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail, said Jin Xiaodong, president of the Overseas Chinese Association of Nepal, noting that people on both sides of the Straits share the same origin and the bond of kinship.

People all over the world have seen a few countries led by the United States fan the flames everywhere for self-interest, Jin said, adding that the one-China principle represents the universal consensus of the international community, which is consistent with the basic norms of international relations.

Having read the white paper, Tie Jilong, head of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association in Korea, said that as a Chinese living and working in South Korea, he will contribute to helping strengthen the solidarity between compatriots on both sides of the Straits.

"The attempts to use Taiwan to contain China and seek 'independence' by soliciting U.S. support are definitely in vain, and any action to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity is destined to failure," Tie said.

COMPLETE REUNIFICATION SURELY TO BE REALIZED

The white paper pointed out that "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."

Reflecting on those points highlighted in the paper, Shang Liang, vice-president of the general association of Chinese merchants and entrepreneurs in Madagascar, said, "Achieving complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration of all sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, and is a prerequisite for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Sons and daughters of the Chinese nation in Africa stand in solidarity with the motherland, and the great cause of achieving complete reunification of the motherland will surely be accomplished."

Gu Di, vice president of Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Namibia, voiced confidence that under the leadership of the CPC and with the joint efforts of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, Taiwan will surely return to the motherland.

Li Youbao, secretary general of the Chinese Business Club in Saudi Arabia, said he firmly believes that reunification of the motherland will bring more benefits for compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

Li said that realizing peaceful reunification will create vast potential for Taiwan's social and economic development, and bring about tangible benefits for Taiwan compatriots. Overseas Chinese firmly support the great cause of achieving reunification of the motherland.

"Cross-Straits amity and cooperation stand to gain from peace and cooperation. Peaceful cross-Straits reunification is of benefit not only to the Chinese nation, but to all peoples and the international community as a whole," said Fang Yuan, president of the Chinese Women (Fiji) Union, after reading the white paper.

Fang said realizing the complete reunification of the motherland is a shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, and is the historical inevitability for achieving national rejuvenation.

Chen Yinglie, head of the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification in Croatia, said, "I believe that under the strong leadership of the CPC, the great cause of achieving national reunification will surely be accomplished, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese national will surely be realized."

Deng Zhuting, president of London Chinatown Chinese Association, said he was deeply impressed by a sentence in the white paper, which said: "We hope they (fellow Chinese in Taiwan) will stand on the right side of history, and be proud of their Chinese identity."

"I think that to be Chinese proud of our Chinese identity is to bravely shoulder the responsibility to safeguard the greater good of the nation, conform to the general trend of history, push forward extensive cross-Straits exchanges, cooperation and development and participate in the cause of promoting peaceful reunification of the motherland through practical actions. The motherland is our strongest support. The overseas Chinese in Britain firmly believe that reunification of the motherland must be realized and will be realized," Deng said. ■