To realize national reunification through peaceful means is the first choice to resolve the Taiwan question, said Spokesman for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Saturday, adding that non-peaceful means will remain the last resort, Reuters reports.
Spokesman Sun Yeli made the statement at a press conference in Beijing ahead of the opening of the congress.
"Peaceful reunification and 'One Country, Two Systems' are our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question. The principles have been reiterated in the recently-released white paper 'The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era'," said the spokesman.
National reunification by peaceful means best serves the interests of the Chinese nation as a whole, including compatriots in Taiwan. And it works best for the long-term stability and development of China, said the spokesman.
"It is our first choice in resolving the Taiwan question. We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with utmost sincerity and efforts, and create vast space for peaceful reunification," he said.
"We don't renounce the use of force and reserve the option of taking all necessary measures, this is to guard against external interference and a small handful of 'Taiwan independence' separatists and their activities. By no means does this target our compatriots in Taiwan. The ultimate goal is to uphold the prospect of peaceful reunification and promote this process," said the spokesman.
"As long as there is a slim chance for peaceful reunification, we will do our level best. Use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances," he added.
"The 'Taiwan independence' forces keep making provocations, and external forces are doubling down on using Taiwan to contain China. All these severely undermines the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation and immediate interests of compatriots across the Taiwan Strait, seriously jeopardizes peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait, and gravely threatens the prospect of peaceful reunification. If left unchecked, it will plunge Taiwan into the abyss and bring disaster to our compatriots," said the spokesman.
"No one, no force should underestimate our strong resolve, firm will and great capability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he continued.
"We hope our compatriots in Taiwan would have a clear understanding that reunification brings benefits, 'Taiwan independence' leads to nowhere, and those external forces are unreliable," he said.
"We call on compatriots across the Taiwan Strait to join hands to resolutely oppose 'Taiwan independence' forces and foreign interference, and to open up bright prospects for the peaceful reunification," he added.
