By Wang Yingjin
US President Donald Trump will pay a state visit to China from May 13 to 15, providing an important opportunity for the two countries to deepen communication, manage differences, and build consensus. The Taiwan question remains the most important and sensitive issue in China-US relations. It concerns China's core interests and profoundly affects peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and even the world. Opposing "Taiwan independence" serves the common interests of both sides and is also a key prerequisite for ensuring the steady and long-term development of China-US relations and avoiding geopolitical risks.
"Taiwan independence" is the greatest real threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the foundation of prosperity and development in the Asia-Pacific region and an important prerequisite for China and the US to carry out cooperation in various fields. "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and their activities are the greatest source of danger undermining this foundation. In recent years, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have stubbornly adhered to a separatist stance of "Taiwan independence," continuously escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait, directly disrupting peace and order in the region, and causing regional risks to keep rising. For the US, acquiescing in or even indulging "Taiwan independence" separatist activities is by no means a wise way to safeguard its own interests. Many major US think tanks have also repeatedly warned that the conflict triggered by "Taiwan independence" could cause devastating damage to US interests.
Opposing "Taiwan independence" is necessary for maintaining the overall stability of China-US relations. The Taiwan question is the foundation of the political foundation of China-US relations and directly determines the stability and direction of bilateral ties. The one-China principle is a necessary prerequisite for the stable and sound development of China-US relations. Throughout the course of China-US relations, whenever the US side adheres to the one-China principle and clearly curbs "Taiwan independence," bilateral relations have been able to maintain steady development. Whenever the US side wavers on the Taiwan question, tolerates "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, or even takes actions contrary to its commitments, China-US relations have suffered serious setbacks. Indulging "Taiwan independence" is essentially a betrayal by Washington of the political consensus between China and the US and a disregard for the overall interests of bilateral relations. Such behavior is extremely dangerous and could trigger a series of unpredictable consequences.
At present, geopolitical conflicts are occurring frequently, and global challenges such as climate change continue to emerge. In this context, China and the US urgently need to strengthen coordination and cooperation. The prerequisite for achieving this is to properly handle the Taiwan question and firmly oppose "Taiwan independence." Only when the US side abandons its short-sighted geopolitical game mentality and stops sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces can it remove the biggest risk point in China-US relations and create the necessary conditions for the two sides to work together in addressing global challenges.
Opposing "Taiwan independence" is an inevitable choice based on the common interests of both countries. The position of the Chinese government and the Chinese people on the Taiwan question has always been consistent. China's determination to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering, and China's complete reunification is a historical trend that no one and no force can stop. At the same time, opposing "Taiwan independence" and maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are also political choices that serve the long-term interests of the US itself. If "Taiwan independence" separatist forces are allowed to act recklessly, it will not only undermine the political foundation of China-US cooperation, but also intensify division and confrontation within the international community. Therefore, opposing "Taiwan independence" is not a demand made by one side of the other, but an inevitable choice based on the common interests of both countries.
"Taiwan independence" separatist activities lead nowhere. They will only bring disaster to compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, to China and the US, and to countries across the region. China and the US should jointly shoulder the shared responsibility of opposing "Taiwan independence," stand on the right side of history, take concrete actions to defuse risks across the Taiwan Strait, and move China-US relations forward along the correct track.
(The author is director of the Research Center for Cross-Strait Relations, Renmin University of China and research fellow at the National Academy of Development and Strategy, Renmin University of China)
Editor's note: Originally published on huanqiu.com, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.