Taiwan compatriots have important role to play in realizing nation's rejuvenation: China Daily editorial

The white paper titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era" Beijing issued on Wednesday is like an entreaty to Taiwan compatriots calling on them to correctly understand the situation and forsake darkness for light.

With the People's Liberation Army's military drills around the island having now concluded, the document clearly reiterates China's stance on the Taiwan question, including its commitment to peaceful reunification of the island with the motherland if at all possible, but by force if necessary.

It shows Beijing's resolve and confidence that the Taiwan question should be and will be resolved in an appropriate manner in the near future by dedicating much of its content to explaining how the "one country, two systems" model will be adapted for Taiwan.

And it conveys a clear message to Taiwan compatriots that they are in no way targets in the process of reunification, but rather an important part of the Chinese family who can make a notable contribution to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The Chinese mainland's remarkable development and progress — in particular, the great achievements it has made in the over four decades of reform, opening-up and modernization — have had a profound impact on the historical process of resolving the Taiwan question with national reunification. Taiwan compatriots should see that the future of the island depends on the motherland, rather than the external forces with whom the separatists are colluding.

It is the actions of the Democratic Progressive Party authorities that are restricting the space for peaceful reunification. Encouraged and incited by the US, the secession-minded Tsai Ing-wen administration is putting all its eggs in the United States' basket, but one only has to look at Iraq or Afghanistan or numerous other places to see what happens when the US focuses its attention on a place.

Beijing's response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan should serve to demonstrate to all on the island that the mainland will realize national reunification no matter what attempts are made to forestall what is ultimately an inevitability. The discrepancy between the crux of the Taiwan question to Beijing and Washington being the deciding factor. The Taiwan separatists putting their faith in external forces to achieve their goal, and those people hoping to use Taiwan to contain China are destined to be disappointed.

The document states without any ambiguity that the mainland is "ready to create vast space for peaceful reunification", but it will leave no room for separatist activities in any form and the wheel of history that is rolling toward national reunification will not be stopped.

The sooner the secessionists on the island realize that, the brighter the prospects for the island and its residents will be.