China toughens its stance on Taiwan

ZOOM

In recent weeks, China has stepped up its statements, articles, and symbolic initiatives, signaling a hardening of its policy toward Taiwan. Although the Chinese military is not considered capable of a full-scale invasion at this stage, officials in Beijing have adopted a much more incisive tone regarding “reunification” with the island. This shift has been reflected in official publications detailing the future governance of Taiwan under Chinese control, envisaging a “one country, two systems” model similar to that of Hong Kong and Macao, which Taipei has long rejected due to the erosion of autonomy in Hong Kong.

This communication aims to minimize Taiwan's international status and present its annexation as a guarantee of peace and prosperity, while warning that any risk of conflict would be eliminated by the elimination of the Taiwanese independence movement and external interference. Beijing has also established a new national holiday, reclassifying Taiwan's “Retrocession Day,” commemorated on October 25, as the moment the island returned to China under the communist era.

The Chinese government is now more inflexible towards other states' positions on the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. For example, after the German foreign minister took a stand in favor of non-violence, Beijing accused Germany of supporting Taiwanese separatism, illustrating what several analysts describe as unprecedented diplomatic rhetoric.

The Chinese authorities are also increasing the technological visibility of their control with the publication in late October of satellite photos of iconic sites in Taiwan by the Chinese media, images presented as proof that the island is under constant surveillance by Beijing. In Taipei, these photos have been denounced as political voyeurism, with representatives believing that Beijing is seeking to demonstrate its visual control over the territory.

Analysts and experts describe this strengthening of Chinese initiatives and rhetoric as a gradual adjustment over two to three years, with the aim of erasing the limits observed so far in the management and communication around Taiwan. This strategy could also pave the way for future international negotiations, particularly with the United States, in the coming months. The Guardian

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