China will fight “resolutely” against Taiwan’s “independence” and “for the reunification of the motherland,” according to the government action report delivered by outgoing Premier Li Keqiang at the opening of the annual session of the Assembly National Popular (ANP, Legislative).
“We have to carry out the strategy of the Communist Party (CCP) on the Taiwan issue, that is, resolutely fight against its ‘independence’ and for the reunification of the motherland,” Li said during the speech.
The Taiwan Strait is heavily militarized after the respective deployments of the Chinese, Taiwanese and US armies
Relations between Beijing and Taipei deteriorated last summer after the visit to the island of the then Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, which raised tension in the strait to unprecedented highs in years.
“We will promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations so as to push forward a process of peaceful reunification. We should promote economic and cultural cooperation between the two sides and perfect policies aimed at improving the well-being of Taiwanese compatriots,” he added.
Everything, according to Li, “in order to promote actions on both sides in favor of the exaltation of Chinese culture.”
According to his report, the CCP has already been waging “a major fight against secession” in Taiwan and against “interference”, in apparent reference to the United States, a country that Beijing criticizes as interfering in its internal affairs in relation to Taiwan, territory that China claims as its own.
Taiwan fears a Chinese offensive
Taiwan’s government believes China is willing to renew an offensive of niceties aimed at “opinion leaders” to win their trust as the island prepares for presidential elections in less than a year, according to a report. intern of a security agency.
China, which regards democratic Taiwan as its own territory, has long applied the carrot-and-stick method to the island and, while threatening it with the prospect of a military operation, reaches out to those it considers sympathetic to the point. view of Beijing.
As Taipei and Beijing gradually resume travel relations disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Taiwan security officials hope China will relaunch an influence campaign that in the past included all-expenses-paid trips to China for politicians. Taiwanese. Starting this month, the campaign will focus on inviting “opinion leaders” to visit China, according to a classified report by a Taiwanese security agency.
Taiwan, with whom the North American country does not maintain official relations, is one of the main sources of conflict between China and the US, mainly because Washington is Taiwan’s main arms supplier and would be its greatest military ally in the event of a war. with the Asian giant.
China announced today that it will increase its defense spending by 7.2% this year to 1.55 trillion yuan (224,384 million dollars, 210,685 million euros) after the item grew 7.1% in 2022, from according to a report that the ANP will review in the coming days.
The “Global Security Initiative” is a project announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in April 2022.
In his speech, Li said the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) should “enhance its combat readiness and military capabilities to achieve the tasks assigned by the Party.”
“The Chinese armed forces have to intensify their training and preparation, develop new military strategic guidelines” or “strengthen military work in all directions and domains.”
Likewise, Li asserted that China will remain “committed to an independent foreign policy and peace.”
“We will continue with our strategy of opening up for mutual benefit, and we will continue working to safeguard world peace, contributing to global development and maintaining international order,” he said.
The outgoing prime minister did not mention the war in Ukraine, but stressed that China’s Security and Global Development initiatives will try to “promote values ​​shared by humanity.”
The “Global Security Initiative” is a project announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in April 2022 that opposes the use of sanctions on the international stage or what Beijing considers “unilateralism”, “bloc confrontation” or ” cold war mentality.