REALISING national rejuvenation has been the ultimate aspiration of the Chinese nation since modern times, and a historical mission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) since its inception.
At the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC last month, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech, stressing that resolving the Taiwan question and realising China's complete reunification is a historic mission and an unshakable commitment of the CPC.
Jinping expressed his earnest expectation that all of us, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, should come together and move forward in unison.
He stressed that we must uphold the one-China policy and the 1992 Consensus to promote peaceful reunification of the Chinese nation and take resolute action to defeat any attempt to seek “Taiwan independence” and work together to create a bright future for national rejuvenation.
China’s full reunification is essential to realising national rejuvenation.
China is the only major country in the world that has yet to achieve full reunification. This is a trauma left over from history.
Foreign aggressors took advantage of a weak China by invading and occupying Taiwan over 120 years ago.
After the victory of the war of resistance against Japanese aggression in 1945, Taiwan returned to the motherland, and the national humiliation which lasted for half a century was righted after China emerged from World War II victoriously.
However, shortly thereafter followed a special state of long-term political opposition on two sides of the Taiwan Strait ensuing in China’s civil war and the interference of external forces.
Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the CPC, the Chinese government, and the Chinese people have always regarded resolving the Taiwan question and realising full reunification as their unswerving historical mission.
The Taiwan question was born of weakness and chaos, and will surely be resolved as China achieves national rejuvenation.
In the new era, we have initiated an irreversible process in national rejuvenation. And national reunification is an essential component of the national rejuvenation, and this is a process that should not and could not be stopped.
No one should underestimate the great resolve, the strong will, and the extraordinary ability of the Chinese people to defend their national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Chinese people have the ability and wisdom to solve our own problems. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed repeatedly that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share the same roots, language and culture.
We are brothers of the same blood and we are families out of the same tree. No one can sever the blood ties between the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
It is because of the bond of kinship and out of the ardent expectation of family reunion that the door to cross-Straits exchanges was opened in the 1980s.
This year marks the 6th anniversary of the historic meeting of leaders of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Back in November 2015, when I served as the Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, I was fortunate to witness the historic meeting between General Secretary Xi Jinping and the then Kuomintang leader Ma Ying-jeou in Singapore.
The scene is still fresh in my memory. The leaders shook hands for up to 80 seconds at the meeting. It shows that this historic breakthrough was hard-won, meets the ardent expectations for the continuous progress of cross-Straits relations, and demonstrates to the world that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have the ability and wisdom to solve our own problems.
Integrated development on both sides of Taiwan Strait is the only path to peaceful reunification.
The CPC has always shown concern for the interests and well-being of our Taiwan compatriots and actively creates conditions for cross-Straits exchanges and co-operation.
In March, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed on a tour of inspection in Fujian province that it is necessary to promote integration through direct links, real benefits and the bond of the Chinese nation, and boldly explore new paths for cross-Straits integration and development.
This pointed out the way forward for cross-Straits integrated development.
When Covid-19 broke out on the island, the mainland made active efforts to help Taiwan compatriots both on the island and in the mainland acquire vaccines and receive vaccination.
By July 15, some 125 000 Taiwan compatriots in the mainland had been vaccinated with over 210 000 doses of vaccines. It epitomises the mutual help among the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait in times of difficulty.
Bearing in mind the well-being of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, we will continue to improve relevant rules and policies to ensure that Taiwan compatriots are treated on an equal footing in the mainland, to foster cross-Straits exchanges and co-operation, integrated development, and to jointly create a bright future of national rejuvenation.
The international community supports the Chinese people in the just cause of opposing “Taiwan independence” separatist activities and striving for national reunification.
There is only one China in the world, the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory.
Adherence to the one-China policy is a universally recognised norm of international relations and universal consensus of the international community.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of China’s restoration of its lawful seat in the United Nations.
On October 25, 1971, the 26th session of the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 by an overwhelming majority, which restores all rights of the People’s Republic of China in the UN and recognises that the representative of the People’s Republic of China is the only lawful representative of China in the UN.
As Chairman Mao Zedong put it, it was our fellow developing countries that “carried” the People's Republic of China into the UN.
We will never forget the just support and deep friendship of the developing countries, especially our African brothers and sisters.
Unity is a blessing, and secession leads to disaster.
The nations and peoples plagued by secession, isolation, and turmoil worldwide have much to say about this.
Sharing similar experiences with China in the past, South Africa fully understands and firmly supports the Chinese people’s just cause of opposing the “Taiwan independence” separatist activities and realising national reunification, and always upholds the one-China policy.
This is the most salient feature of China and South Africa as good brothers, good friends and good partners.
The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China, and interference by external forces will not be tolerated.
China is marching towards the second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects.
The historical trend of achieving national strength, national rejuvenation and cross-Strait reunification is irresistible.
I believe that the Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have the ability and wisdom to solve our own problem and contribute to world and regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.
* Chen Xiaodong is the Ambassador of China to South Africa.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of IOL and Independent Media.