Posted on 10/30/2013 7:15:27 PM PDT by TexGrill
(Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping told a senior envoy from self-ruled Taiwan on Sunday that a political solution to a standoff over sovereignty lasting more than six decades cannot be postponed forever, drawing a cool, non-committal response.
China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since Nationalist forces, defeated by the Communists, fled to the island at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has never ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.
While relations have improved dramatically since the China-friendly Ma Ying-jeou was elected Taiwan president in 2008, with a series of trade and tourism deals signed, there has been no progress towards political reconciliation or a lessening of military distrust.
Speaking on the Indonesian resort island of Bali ahead of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, Xi told Ma's envoy to the meeting, Vincent Siew, that political issues could not be put off forever.
"Increasing mutual political trust across the Taiwan Straits and jointly building up political foundations are crucial for ensuring the peaceful development of relations," the official Xinhua news agency paraphrased Xi as saying.
"Looking further ahead, the issue of political disagreements that exist between the two sides must reach a final resolution, step by step, and these issues cannot be passed on from generation to generation," Xi added.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Taiwan under Ma has all ready acquiesced.
Just another sign that Obama's last 3 years could be very interesting.
when will Texas be a renegade state?
Who now is least trusting of Obama? After Israel, Taiwan and Japan, though they’re polite about it.
Interesting times FOR SURE.
Let me translate Xi into American English:
Mainland China’s best opportunity for annexing Taiwan will be while the limp-wrist is in the White Hut.
I wish Taiwan saw itself as a renegade state or separate country.
It doesn’t. People there just think themselves Chinese and part of China.
Taiwan needs to learn from the Swiss - send every discharged soldier home with their rifle and 50 rounds. Bring them back every couple of years for inspection and training.
China will think long and hard before doing something stupid.
No they don’t. Chinese yes, but no one wants to be ruled by the thugs in Beijing. Most especially the younger generation who grew up in an entirely democratic system.
The PRC is having enough problems bullying Hong Kong, they really don’t want to add Taiwan to that list.
You know, problem is, you’re wrong about that.
There was a window in the Clinton and early Bush administrations when we could have pulled off the break. Set up a two China’s or one China, one Taiwan structure.
But that time passed. The ruling party in Taiwan now are not interested in independence. The are back to jailing people who are for Taiwan independence.
The general populace there cares not and are happy with being part of China the way it is.
Its sad.
Protests in Taiwan over Hung’s mistreatment and death have caused many mainland Chinese to ask online why such protests are allowed in Taiwan but not in China, the South China Morning Post reports. “If this sort of event occurred on the mainland, who would dare attend it? Even the petitioners themselves would get thrown into prison,” wrote one Sina Weibo user in response to the news. “Taiwan is a place where the people call the shots. National leaders there must make decisions that reflect the values of individuals in society, rather than simply corrupting and oppressing vulnerable groups. In Taiwan they’ve protected Chinese culture, human rights and freedom of speech,” wrote another user. “Why in the world would the Taiwanese people ever want to return to the motherland? The Chinese Dream is actually in Taiwan.”
When I visited Taiwan a few years ago, the Taiwanese were complaining mostly about the Taipei goivernment. If you ask them about Beijing, they shrug off the topic as if it’s no big deal. They just want to focus on economic matters.
I actually met many Chinese in Beijing who said they respected George W. more than they do Obama. They said at least GW had a backbone on foreign policy. With Obama his foreign policy changes every minute on the minute. That’s what I’ve been told.
They love Nixon and George Bush.
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