Summit goal: China’s peaceful reunification

The topic of China's peaceful reunification brought some 300 scholars and officials to the Bay Area over the weekend.

The Cross-Strait Peaceful Reunification Summit, hosted Saturday by the Alliance for China's Peaceful Reunification, included lectures, panel discussions and a Q&A session.

The theme centered on "why the peaceful reunification is a historical trend and the right path" and "how the overseas Chinese community, particularly those in the US, contribute to the historic mission".

"It (the event) is held at a time coincident with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of New China and the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the China-US relationship," Xue Xueyuan, minister at the Chinese embassy to the United States, said in her speech. She said the summit's theme event echoed the key message from President Xi Jinping's speech on Jan 2. 

In a speech marking the 40th anniversary of the issuance of the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan, Xi reiterated that "the historical trend toward a stronger China, national rejuvenation and reunification can't be stopped by any force or anyone". 

The Taiwan question remains a critical component of the China-US relationship, and the United States should honor its pledge within the political framework built upon the Three Joint Communiques the two nations issued in the late 1970s, said Xu. 

As some American politicians continue to bring up the Taiwan question, Xu said "we need to remind the United States of minding its own business, and stop fretting about internal matters of others".

China is committed to safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity and achieving national reunification, and "such determination is as solid as a rock", she said. 

Zhou Ning of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council expressed hope that overseas Chinese in the US continue to play an active role in promoting people-to-people exchange, facilitating friendship and understanding, and explaining the necessity and meaning of peaceful reunification. 

"The Taiwan question is an important and sensitive issue in the relationship between China and the United States," Zhou said. "We need to forge a broad alliance with people of similar minds" in order to consolidate the anti-independence forces and foil any attempts to create "two Chinas", "one China, one Taiwan", or "Taiwan independence". 

Lai Yueqian, a renowned Taiwan scholar who is pro-reunification, acknowledged the political wisdom and sincerity the Chinese mainland has enshrined in its "one country, two systems" in order to seek a peaceful solution to the Taiwan question. 

Lai said that for political gain, the Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party tried to "take the Taiwan people hostage and flame up anti-mainland sentiment".

However, "they dare not execute 'Taiwan independence'," Lai said, adding that they understand the severity of the consequences.

Remember, Beijing "reserves the option of taking all necessary measures" against outside forces that interfere with peaceful reunification and Taiwanese separatist activities, said Lai.

Wu Youyi, key organizer of the event and president of the US-based Western America Chinese Peaceful Unification, said the forum's purpose was to unite Chinese Americans to firmly oppose Taiwan independence.