Tsai complaints ‘baseless’, official says

Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen’s recent calls for the international community to “constrain” Beijing aim to create hostility, which will continue enhancing confrontation across the Straits, officials and scholars said.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse this week, Tsai urged the international community to unite with the island to “constrain” the Chinese mainland and “also minimize the expansion of their hegemonic influence” to preserve “global democracy”.

In response, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, called the comments “misleading and totally baseless”.

“They aim to create hostility between compatriots from both sides across the Straits, attempts to court foreign support and further enhance confrontation across the Straits,” Ma said at a news conference on Wednesday.

“Such a plot won’t succeed. Flesh and blood ties between compatriots across the Straits cannot be alienated. Any attempt to obstruct the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is overconfident,” he said.

Ma blamed Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party for damaging the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

Beijing’s stance toward Taiwan is coherent and consistent by upholding the “1992 Consensus”, which embodies the one-China principle, and firmly opposing “Taiwan independence”. The mainland also shares development with Taiwan compatriots, such as releasing beneficial policies to Taiwan residents in study, work and life on the mainland, treating Taiwan compatriots as we treat mainland residents, Ma said.

Since Tsai Ing-wen took office in May 2016, she has refused to recognize the one-China principle, which has caused tension between the mainland and the island.

“Tsai’s deliberate prepared interview builds an image of Taiwan as a disadvantaged party, stirring sentiment to tarnish the mainland. It also stirs up tensions between the mainland and other countries,” said Zhu Songling, a professor specializing in Taiwan studies at Beijing Union University.

Tsai claimed she wanted to express kindness in talking with the mainland. However, she created more enmity through her remarks, which aimed to reach her political pursuit, he said.

Liu Guoshen, a Taiwan studies professor at Xiamen University in Fujian province, said Tsai’s comment is unfriendly. Because Beijing and Burkina Faso resumed diplomatic relations, Tsai gets emotional, he said.

Tsai’s refusal to recognize the one-China principle caused increasing hostility among people across the Straits, he said.

“As a Taiwan studies scholar, I am very disappointed and deeply concerned. Tsai’s behavior will, without any doubt, cause more confrontation across the Straits,” Liu said.