Chinese Scholar: I’d Rather Confront with Extreme Taiwan Independence Advocates
I have all along believed rather face the provocation of the overt “Taiwan independence” advocates than be fooled by those who seemingly support unification. That is to say the forces of “Taiwan independence” know nothing but the “logic of strength”, and we should strike them down wherever they appear until unification is on the ground. Now that Lai Qingde has publically announced his “new two-country theory”, it is the exact right time to clean up these advocates and accelerate unification. As I expected, on May 23rd, the PLA launched a large-scale military exercise code-named “Joint Sword-2024A”. The exercise is carried out from the east, west, south, and north of the island of Taiwan in multiple angles and directions, essentially a joint blockade operation. As for an economy lacking resources and is highly externally oriented like Taiwan’s, its ability to provide for itself shall not last longer than about 10 days. At the same time, this is also an exercise of joint forces inside and outside the island chain, focusing on the sea and airspace east of the island of Taiwan. We want to ensure that any external assistance or possibility of escape is cut off, as our Defense Minister Dong Jun said at the Shangri-La Forum in Singapore not long ago, “catching a turtle in a jar” — a sure catch. In addition, our joint military exercises target not only Taiwan’s main island but also outlying islands, so it can be said that there is full coverage without blind points. Lastly, this joint exercise also includes a comprehensive law enforcement exercise by the marine police fleet, which means that our marine police have already made preparations for the verification and boarding inspection of vessels in the relevant waters once the operation succeeded.
Lai Qingde has publically announced his “new two-country theory” in his speech.
The most exciting news is that on 21st June, “Opinions on the Lawful Punishment of the Offence of Splitting the State and Inciting Splitting the State by the Intransigent Advocates of Taiwan Independence” is issued by China’s “Two High Churts and Three Ministries” (i.e., the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of State Security, and the Ministry of Justice) combined, and it’s effectiveness starts on the day of issuance. Immediately it became a sword of Damocles hanging above the forces of “Taiwan Independence”, such significance is unable to be estimated. Regarding the offense of splitting the state committed by the “Taiwan Independence” advocates, the document has raised four provisions of specific circumstances and one miscellaneous provision, along with the sentencing standards. The maximum sentence is death penalty or life imprisonment.
The four provisions of specific circumstances are very comprehensive. First, initiating or establishing a separatist organization for “Taiwan Independence”, formulating programme, plans, schemes, etc. for separatist actions of “Taiwan Independence”, and directing members of a separatist organization for “Taiwan Independence” or other persons to carry out activities splitting the state or undermine state unification. Second, attempting to change the legal status of the Taiwan region as part of China by enacting, amending, interpreting, or repealing the relevant provisions of the Taiwan region, or through a referendum. Third, attempting to create “two Chinas,” “one China, one Taiwan,” or “Taiwan independence” in the international community by promoting the Taiwan region’s membership in international organizations whose membership is restricted to sovereign states, or by engaging in official exchanges or military contacts with foreign countries. Fourth, using one’s official position to distort or falsify the fact that the Taiwan region is part of China in such fields as education, culture, history, and news media, or to suppress political parties, groups, or individuals who support the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and national reunification. Finally, a remarkable fifth item under the hood: “other acts of attempting to split the Taiwan region from China”.
All of this means that the iron fist of China’s people’s democratic dictatorship will press down all kinds of stubborn advocates of “Taiwan independence” without any blindsight. A commentator on Taiwan’s current affairs, Qiu Yi, made the following comments: some people rely solely on that they are “cowering in Taiwan, never going to the mainland, so nothing can be done to them”. And now that trial in absentia is stipulated, courts in the mainland, based on the relevant treaties signed with other countries, the relevant regulations on extradition, and so on, will be able to pursue one’s responsibility lifelong. Those “Taiwan Independence” intransigents “should be shivering in their home right now”.
Another significance of this document is that as a relevant content of the Criminal Law of the PRC, it is now applicable to Taiwan region and Taiwan residents. Allowing courts in the mainland to conduct trials in absentia has substantially surpassed the “One Country, Two Systems” policy. This differs from Hong Kong and Macao, which practice their own law according to the “One Country, Two Systems” policy. This document now refers to Article 103 of the Criminal Law of China, the offense of splitting the state and inciting splitting the state. Yet we can reason from that since Article 103 is now applicable to Taiwan, other provisions such as Article 106 which stipulates the punishment for collusion with foreign countries, and Article 107 which stipulates the crime of financing criminal activities that jeopardize national security, may also apply to Taiwan in the future.
All in all, these are all signs that the process of reunification has entered the fast lane. This is a manifestation of the firm will of the 1.4 billion Chinese people, who all are expecting an early arrival of our reunification. Indeed, since our jurisdiction is already partially applicable to the Taiwan area, will the day of reunification still be far?
