Taiwan authorities 'deprive others of their right to communication'

The current Taiwan authorities have attempted to interfere with and prevent cross-Straits communications, activities that go against the will of the people, the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said on Wednesday.

An Fengshan, a spokesman for the office, made the remarks at a news conference in reference to the Taiwan authorities' decision to reject Kuomintang Vice-Chairman Tseng Yung-chuan's application to visit the mainland.

"The current Taiwan authorities restrain themselves from communicating with the mainland, and also deprive others of their right to communication," An said.

The Communist Party of China and the KMT have increased cooperation on the common political foundation of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence", he said, adding that such cooperation is "conducive to maintaining cross-Straits peace and stability, and promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations".

An said the mainland has issued 2.69 million travel permits to Taiwan residents since 2015 and would develop more convenient services.

It is futile for Taiwan to use military force to resist reunification, given the widening strength gap between the island and the Chinese mainland, An said.

The way to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits is to abandon "Taiwan independence" and a hostile mentality, he said, adding, "Separatist attempts for 'Taiwan independence' in any form will be firmly rejected by people across the Straits and doomed to failure."

Asked about the detention of four officials from the pro-reunification New Party in Taiwan, the spokesman condemned Taiwan authorities for indulging separatists while suppressing and persecuting those who support peaceful reunification.

Prosecutors in Taiwan took the four officials away and searched their homes on Dec 18 for alleged violations of the island's security regulations.

An spoke highly of parties and groups in Taiwan that have been upholding the one-China principle and peaceful reunification, saying that realizing the country's complete reunification is the shared aspiration of all Chinese people and in the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation.

"The frequent behaviors of the Taiwan authorities indicate the lack of confidence," said Xu Xiaodi, a researcher of Taiwan studies at the CPC Central Party School's Institute for International Strategic Studies.

"Tsai Ing-wen and her administration are trying to test the bottom line and tolerance of the Chinese mainland, which will definitely undermine exchanges of the peoples of the two sides. They lack vision for the development of cross-Straits relations over the long run," Xu said.

Xinhua