TAIPEI (TVBS News) － President Xi Jinping's speech at the 20th Chinese Communist Party Congress earlier this week mentioned Taiwan several times, without offering new strategies to resolve the cross-strait stalemate, according to TVBS commentator Wenchi Yu. "There's no apparent new language or ideas regarding resolving the Taiwan issue and realizing the "unification of the motherland," she said.
The Chinese president reiterated that the long-held position that peaceful unification, "One Country Two System," is the best model for cross-strait unification.
He then mentioned the "one China" principle, the "1992 consensus" and "China's ultimate threat of using military forces" to deter Taiwan's independence and foreign interference.The Chinese president reiterated that the long-held position that peaceful unification, "One Country Two System," is the best model for cross-strait unification.
Wenchi remarked how the Chinese president also clarified that this threat is aimed at foreign influence and a small number of Taiwan independence separatists, not directly at the majority of Taiwanese people. The tone appears to strike a balance since China has been losing the minds and hearts of Taiwanese people with its increasing aggressions more recently.
Regarding the country's zero-COVID policy, Wenchi also remarked that continuing the controversial policy is likely to worry global investors and prolong China's economic recovery in the short term. "The world has been waiting to see if China will lift its controversial zero-COVID restrictions pose the party congress," she said. "Xi's speech disappointed many who were hoping for China's reopening."
However, by examining Xi's whole speech, she added that being cautious and protecting the interest of the majority of people are two important things. "Xi's speech uses strong words, such as "to fight a war for the people, to prioritize people and their lives, to prevent imported virus, and to prevent internal rebound," to justify China's unwavering zero-COVID policy," she explained.
To the TVBS commentator, it is a clear message to the world that China will only reopen slowly when the virus is under control.
More importantly, Wenchi remarked that Xi Jinping's speech at the Chinese Communist Party's 20th Party Congress solidifies the ideology-driven approach to China’s next five years.
"Throughout his speech is the discernible shift from the last few decades growth-driven path to a vision of quality and balanced-driven common prosperity," she went on. "Caution and prudence characterized Xi's principle of guiding China through the next five years."
Xi paints a picture of China facing immense challenges, both domestically and internationally, she noted, to justify his hardened approach to a country that he considers somewhat derailed with wrong priorities. "Gone are the days of the pursuit of high GDP growth. Rather, we're going to see a market and society with a stronger and longer government leash," she concluded.
