Mainland calls Taiwan political parties to 'stand on right side of history'

A Chinese mainland spokesman called on political parties in Taiwan to stand on the right side of history in response to remarks made by Eric Chu Li-luan, chairman of Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang party, during his 12-day trip to the United States.

Chu reiterated the KMT's historical ties to the US during a visit to the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in California last week, the KMT said in a statement issued on Monday.

Chu said the party continues to fight against communism and compete with the Communist Party of China over values and political systems.

During a separate visit, Chu also said the KMT has always been pro-US and called the 1992 Consensus a "no-consensus" consensus.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said in a statement on Thursday that the 1992 Consensus is not to be distorted arbitrarily, and on the basis of the consensus the CPC and KMT have conducted cooperation and communication, which moved forward the development of cross-Straits relations.

"Taiwan is part of China, and cross-Straits affairs are a family matter concerning compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. It should be handled through consultation with family members rather than outsiders," he said.

Ma said the CPC is a political party whose mission is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the nation, and it has made achievements that have been globally acknowledged.

Amid the increasingly complex and tense cross-Straits situation, any political party, organization or individual on the island that is committed to developing cross-Straits relations and maintaining peace and stability in the Straits should keep a clear head, view matters from a long-term perspective and stand on the right side of history, he said.

Tang Yonghong, deputy director of the Taiwan Research Center of Xiamen University, said Chu made the remarks in an attempt to gain the approval of the US and the support of the island's voters.

"However, he could hardly achieve the aim," Tang said, because the US has realized that the Democratic Progressive Party has the possibility of ruling Taiwan for a long time, and the DPP has cooperated well with the US in containing the mainland.

Moreover, if the KMT stands against the mainland, it will lose its advantages in handling cross-Straits affairs as many in Taiwan hope the two sides can live in peace, because exchanges and cooperation will bring benefits to their development, he said.

Such moves by the KMT will only accelerate its marginalization on the island, he added.

Tang said that as the US has pursued a policy of containing and suppressing the development of the mainland for a long time, it will keep playing the Taiwan card as long as the two sides across the Straits haven't reunified, because it is the most cost-effective method.

The DPP administration has attempted to rely on the US to seek "independence", so the two sides are making use of each other, Tang said, adding that the collusion between Taiwan and the US will exist for a long time.

Separately, the US on Wednesday announced the sale of $120 million in ship spare parts and related equipment to Taiwan, the fourth arms package to Taiwan approved under US President Joe Biden.

Ma urged the US to cancel the new arms sales plan to China's Taiwan region and stop playing with fire on the Taiwan question.

"It was a connivance and support for 'Taiwan independence' forces and a serious violation of the commitment the US had made to not support 'Taiwan independence'," he added.

He warned the DPP authorities to immediately stop their provocative acts of colluding with foreign forces for "independence".

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday said at a news conference that the move undermines China's sovereignty and security interests, Sino-US relations and peace and stability across the Straits.

Urging the US to cancel the plan and stop any military contact with Taiwan, Zhao said Beijing will take firm and forceful measures to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests.