China remains firm in its desire to take control of Taiwanin any way.
This Tuesday, as part of its plans, the regime of Xi Jinping presented a project economic “integration” with the islandwith which it seeks to promote rapprochement and exchanges between both territories.
The 21 measures, promoted by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) and the State Council, include housing, study and work proposals in China for Taiwanese. The “equivalent of outlining the island’s future development plan,” as described by the Global Timesa hardline media outlet backed by the communist state.
One of them focuses on the coastal province of Fujianwhich Beijing seeks to turn into a “demonstration zone” of this development integrated, with facilities in social services and school enrollment for islanders who choose to move there. The aim is also to deepen industrial cooperation.
“The measure aims to deepen cross-strait integrated development in all fields and advance the peaceful reunification of the motherland“, reported the official state media ChinaDaily.
Along with Fujian, “peer cities” such as Xiamen, Kinmen, Fuzhou and Matsu they will have “an even more prominent role” in the initiative. Kinmen and Matsu are two key islands, located a few kilometers from mainland China and with great cultural and economic ties but under the control of Taiwan, which explains why Beijing has focused on them.
Despite the enthusiasm of Xi Jinping’s regime, the news was not well received by Tsai Ing-wen’s Executive and by the islanders who, for the most part, oppose Chinese unification aspirations.
“The Chinese government has cut leeks [expresión utilizada para describir a inversores crédulos en los mercados chinos] among his own people and now he is addressing the Taiwanese.”said a commentator from a local media outlet who was skeptical amid the crisis in the real estate market in the country, the obstacles in its economic recovery and the growing complaints against officials for authoritarian practices.
For their part, several Taipei residents also declared they were not interested in the proposal. Terry Hung, a 37-year-old pharmaceutical industry worker, said it is “very risky.”
“I don’t want to invest in property in a communist nation, sharing my properties with that government. I don’t want to work in a autocratic country because human and labor rights are all controlled by the Government. If one day your opinion does not coincide with their position, you run the risk of being arrested or detained”he explained.
Even Hsieh, a retired professor, added that “the political climate and environment in China are so different that Taiwanese may not adapt.”
The regime’s announcement came at the same time that Beijing sent the largest number of warships to Taiwan watersa new sign that, although Xi is advancing with his peaceful reunification plans, he has not ruled out the use of force and that, on the other hand, it sends a contradictory message to the incentives given to the Taiwanese
This Monday, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ordered maneuvers of a group of attack aircraft carriers, led by the ship Shandongalong with dozens of warplanes. “It undoubtedly represents a new threat”said General Huang Wen-chi.
The next day, the Japanese Ministry of Defense warned of the presence of two flotillas of eight warships in the Miyako Straitsouth of Okinawa.
After this Wednesday they detected another 36 warplane departuresNational Defense and Security Research Institute analyst Su Tzu-yun warned the Financial Times that, if it changed its course from Japanese waters, Tuesday’s group could converge with the fleet led by the Shandong and result in the largest maneuvers ever seen involving a Chinese aircraft carrier.
It should be noted that the last time the PLA had deployed the Shandong on the island was after the President’s meeting with her counterpart in the United States House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy.
In that sense, analysts explained that this week’s maneuvers may respond to Washington’s joint exercises with allies and recent transits in the strait.
On the other hand, the island’s Defense portfolio warned about the FujianBeijing’s third and largest aircraft carrier, which could enter into service “once the sea trials are completed in 2025” and which represents “a major maritime threat that we must actively confront in the future”.
The Fujian weighs about 80,000 tons and is the PLA’s first aircraft carrier equipped with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system. This puts it ahead of the Shandong and Liaoning, which are smaller and use less effective jump ramps for ship takeoff.
In this context, Taiwan is preparing, for its part, to celebrate its presidential election. Taipei will go to the polls next January in elections that are already expected to have great influence from Beijing – as has happened in the past.
Xi’s efforts are mainly focused on weakening the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which is the strongest supporter of Taiwanese independence and whose candidate, Vice President Lai Ching-te, is leading in the polls.
Source-www.infobae.com