China resolution opposes independence to Taiwan

After CPC resolution, Taiwan asked China’s new leadership to discard its old mindset of invasion and confrontation

BEIJING: China on Saturday amended the Communist party constitution to further cement leader Xi Jinping’s core status and, for the first time, enshrined its opposition to Taiwan’s independence in the charter.

On Taiwan, the Communist Party of China (CPC) adopted a resolution opposing Taiwanese independence in its constitution, a signal of Beijing’s hardening stance against the selfruled democracy that China claims as its own territory.

“(The Congress) agrees to include in the party constitution statements on... resolutely opposing and deterring separatists seeking ‘Taiwan independence’,” the resolution said.

In reference to the change added to the constitution in context of Taiwan and the armed forces, the statement said: “These revisions reaffirm the party’s commitment to building a strong military with Chinese characteristics, making sustained and steady progress with the One Country, Two Systems policy, advancing national reunification…”

Taiwan retaliates

Taipei accused Beijing on Saturday of maintaining an “old mindset” after CPC enshrined its opposition to Taiwanese independence in its constitution. “We call on the Chinese Communist government’s new leadership to discard its old mindset of invasion and confrontation and to resolve differences through peaceful, equitable and realistic means,” Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said.

With inputs from AFP

AFP Chinese President Xi Jinping (centre) gestures during the closing ceremony of the CPC Congress in Beijing on Saturday.