Updated October 15th, 2022 at 22:29 IST

China official hints at use of coercion to take 'Taiwan by force' in exaggerated warning

To fulfil its administrative goal of reunification of Republic of China (ROC) under the controversial One China policy, Beijing can use force, an official said.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
Advertisement

In exaggerated rhetoric about using military coercion on the self-administered island of Taiwan, a Chinese Communist Party spokesperson on Saturday said that Beijing's CPC party "reserves the right" to take the breakaway island "using force." The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China's spokesperson noted that to fulfil its administrative goal of the reunification of the Republic of China (ROC) under the controversial One China policy, Beijing would not hesitate to opt for intimidation tactics or even coercion. 

China's hint at use of invading force in Taiwan

CPC will assert its territorial rights should "compelling circumstances" or adversaries attempt to dissolve its geopolitical interests, the official implied, hinting at the use of an invading force. "Reunification of Taiwan" not only serves China's own interests but also Taiwan's compatriots', insisted the official, according to the agencies' reports. The bilateral rift between the self-ruled island and China has been exacerbated since the US House speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island that Beijing claims emboldened anti-China sentiments. Reunification "would meet the interests of all," the official of the CPC was reported as saying on Saturday. 

The remarks came just days after the billionaire American entrepreneur Elon Musk riled up controversy by suggesting in an FT interview that China and Taiwan tensions could be resolved if an administrative zone is established, handing some control of the territory to Beijing. Tesla and SpaceX CEO attracted a backlash from Taiwanese diplomats, but his designs were widely hailed in the People's Republic of China. A former CIA analyst, John Culver, however, clarified that the US Intelligence has not seen a concerted Chinese military buildup around Taiwan like it did in the case of the Russian invasion. 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has repeatedly warned against any deviation from the One China principle asserting that such a move will cause "tension and turmoil" in the Taiwan Strait. "The root cause of the current tensions in the Taiwan Strait is that the DPP (ruling Democratic Progressive Party) authorities have been clinging to Taiwan independence and colluding with external forces to make provocations," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning asserted at a briefing. 

Advertisement

Published October 15th, 2022 at 22:29 IST