China offers Taiwan more incentives

BEIJING — China will introduce more “preferential policies” for Taiwan so the self-governed island’s residents can enjoy the same treatment as mainland Chinese citizens, Premier Li Keqiang said Friday.

Li said new initiatives will be implemented to invite people from Taiwan to “work hand in hand to realize our shared dream for the nation.” The initiatives follow 31 incentives recently introduced by China.

China has used increasingly aggressive rhetoric toward Taiwan, which split from the mainland during a civil war 70 years ago, but has sought to balance the two approaches to avoid alienating the island republic.

The ruling Communist Party maintains that Taiwan is part of China. It opposes Taiwan independence and formally says it seeks a “peaceful reunification.”

President Xi Jinping did not rule out the use of force during a January speech on cross-strait relations, when he proposed a “one country, two systems” approach similar to China’s current arrangement with the former British colony of Hong Kong. That would enable Taiwan to keep its own economic and legal systems.

The suggestion has been rejected by Taiwan’s independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen, who said China must accept the continued existence of the Republic of China, the formal name of the former mainland government that fled to Taiwan in 1949.