Taipei: China’s top political body has proposed a 21-point development plan to integrate Taiwan with the mainland by encouraging Taiwanese to study and work in Fujian province. The release of the plan coincided with Beijing sending 152 jets and 43 warships into areas around the island ahead of Taiwan’s presidential election slated for January.
The plan, Taiwanese observers told The Print, reflects a change in Beijing’s attitude towards the Taiwan issue by proposing inflexible integration with the mainland.
An outline document titled “Supporting Fujian in exploring new paths for cross-Strait integrated development and building a cross-Strait integrated development model zone” was put forward Wednesday by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Central Committee and the State Council. The document states that the ultimate goal of the proposed policy is the ‘complete reunification’ of Taiwan with the motherland.
The plan says CCP’s overall strategy for solving the Taiwan issue in the new era will revolve around the concept of ‘both sides of the Taiwan Straits are one family’.
To that extent, it intends to create an integrated living model for China’s port city of Xiamen and Taiwan’s Kinmen – which are only 5 km apart. Similarly, Fujian’s capital, Fuzhou, will be integrated with Taiwan-controlled Matsu, about 20 km apart.
The new plan says that Taiwanese nationals who want to live and work in the Chinese mainland will no longer need to apply for the ‘Temporary Residence Permit’, instead, they will be encouraged to apply for a ‘Taiwan Resident Permit’. The plan will end the temporary residency for Taiwanese working in China, which used to treat them as foreigners earlier.
“For me, the plan from Beijing is a warning to the Taiwanese who live and work in China,” said Hsiang-Yao Shih, a Taiwanese social activist, who spoke to The Print.
Shih believes the plan will make China’s Taiwan policy far more black and white. “This plan shows that Beijing’s attitude has changed. They want Taiwanese people to choose: either you are a Chinese (and support PRC), or you are pro-Independence,” said Shih.
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‘Political incentive rather than a practical one’
The plan will encourage Taiwanese nationals to study or work in China’s Fujian province by treating them the same as Chinese citizens, the outline document says.
Under the plan, Taiwanese nationals will be encouraged to buy properties in the Chinese mainland and avail of social services such as medical treatment like the one extended to Chinese citizens.
In August last year, China had relaxed residential home purchase restrictions for nearly 30 Chinese cities in a bid to revive the domestic housing market. The new plan for Taiwan creates a similar condition for the Taiwanese to purchase properties on the mainland.
However, Taiwanese nationals aren’t enthused by the new plan which promotes investment in the mainland.
“This plan is like a political incentive rather than a practical one. How many Taiwanese will actually go invest or get a mortgage there? I strongly doubt it as even China’s own economy is under pressure,” said a Taiwanese national who did not want to be named.
“People are smart enough to choose what is best for them, the government shouldn’t decide for us. If they want to go study there, why not,” said the Taiwanese national, adding that there was no harm in some exchanges proposed in the plan.
Taiwanese companies will also be encouraged to list on China’s stock market to promote more integration of the cross-Strait financial markets, says the plan.
On its part, Taiwan’s ruling party seemed indifferent about the integration plan. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party, while responding to the proposed plan, pointed out that China’s housing market was sluggish.
“China’s housing market is very sluggish at present, and the youth unemployment rate in China continues to soar. The sudden announcement of measures to benefit Taiwan is a bit unexpected since China is facing its own purchasing-power problems,” DPP caucus secretary-general Chuang Jui-hsiung was quoted as saying by Taipei Times.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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