We have the greatest sincerity in our efforts to realize peaceful reunification, but we cannot promise to renounce the use of force, we are fully capable of stopping any splittist plot by "Taiwan independence" force. It is the bounden duty of the Chinese Communists to end the situation of separation between the mainland and Taiwan and realize the complete reunification of the motherland.

We appeal here: compatriots between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits and overseas Chinese nationals, unite to oppose split and continue the struggle to propel the process of the development of cross-Strait relations and the peaceful reunification of the motherland. Accomplishing the great cause of the reunification of the motherland represents the popular feeling and the historical trend irresistible by anybody and any forces."

In his important speech delivered at the meeting in celebration of the 80th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), General Secretary Jiang Zemin once again pointed out, "Continuing to advance the modernization drive, accomplish the great cause of the reunification of the motherland, and safeguard world peace and promote common development is the major historical task placed on the shoulders of our Party." "The stand of the Chinese Communists on safeguarding State sovereignty and territorial integrity is firm and unshakable…Putting an end to the situation of separation between the mainland and Taiwan and accomplishing the complete reunification of the motherland is the bounden mission of the Chinese Communists." "Accomplishing the great cause of reunification of the motherland represents the popular feeling and the historical trend irresistible by any person and any force.", this is the common aspiration of the sons and daughters of China around the world, it is the strong will of the Chinese nation.

Tracing back to its source, the status of Taiwan as a part of China is unshakable.

Taiwan has been an inseparable part of Chinese territory. According to historical records, in 230, Sun Quan of the Wu State sent generals Wei Wen and Zhuge to lead troops to "regulate and capture" Taiwan. Rulers of subsequent dynasties all sent troops or people from Fujian to Taiwan, thus promoting the development of Taiwan's land-reclamation, fisheries, commerce and other production activities.

In 607 and 610, Emperor Sui Yang twice sent people to arrive at "Liu Qiu" (present-day Taiwan).

The development of Taiwan in the Song Dynasty began in Penghu. In 1171, Wang Dayou, an official of Quanzhou, dispatched a naval unit to garrison Penghu, this marked the beginning of garrison troops of the Chinese government in Penghu. Later, the government of the Yuan Dynasty set up an "inspection department" in Penghu and placed it under the jurisdiction of Quanzhou's Tong'an (today's Xiamen). During the Song and Yuan dynasties, organizational system was set up and officials and troops were stationed in Penghu to exercise administration there.

In the years during the reign of Sizong of the Ming Dynasty, Zheng Zhilong, father of Zheng Chenggong, went and stayed in Taiwan, making contribution to cross-Strait exchanges and Taiwan's development in the early period. Around the time of 1628 when south Fujian was hit by serious drought, Zheng Zhilong "assembled tens of thousands of famine victims" and used ships to carry them to Taiwan to engage in reclamation of wasteland for self-supporting, and provided them with large quantities of draught animals, seeds, farm tools and other means of production. It can thus be seen that the early developers of Taiwan were the people of Fujian and Taiwan who were the owners of this stretch of land.

After the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95, the corrupt and backward Qing court was forced to sign the Treaty of Shimonoseki with Japan in April 1895, under which Taiwan Island was ceded to Japan, reducing Taiwan to Japan's colony for as long as half a century. After victory of the Chinese War of Resistance Against Japan, and with the unconditional surrender of Japanese imperialism, Taiwan returned to the embrace of the motherland.

Although due to history and reality reasons, the mainland and Taiwan have been artificially separated for over 50 years, its status as part of Chinese territory, however, has remained unchanged , "Taiwan of China" is beyond all doubts.

The solution of the Taiwan issue four times in Chinese history had been inseparable from the use of military means, today, the Chinese people on the two sides of the Straits have to work hard to create a historical miracle.

In Chinese history, the country had the experience of solving the Taiwan issue four times, in each of which military means had played a decisive role.

In 1602, Shen Yourong, an official of Fujian in the Ming Dynasty, led troops to start from Jinmen (Quemoy) Islands via Penghu and landed in Anping Port, eliminated the Japanese pirates and resumed jurisdiction over Taiwan.

Between 1661-62, national hero Zheng Chenggong, making comprehensive use of political, economic, military and other fighting strategies and after going through four massive battles, completely punctured the Dutch colonialists' overbearing arrogance and stubborn resistance and forced them to return to the negotiating table and sign a surrender agreement, thus putting a complete end to the Dutch colonial rule over Taiwan for 38 years.

In the 1662-64 period, the Qing government, in order to realize national reunification, had conducted peace talks 10 times over a period of 22 years. However, due to neglect of the construction and use of naval force and under the circumstance of the lack of necessary military pressure and effective military attacking capability, the first nine peace talks all ended in failures. In 1683, Shi Lang, the navy military governor of Fujian, led more than 20,000-men to wipe out the bandits in Taiwan by employing the strategy for the use of force of "first taking Penghu and then Taiwan" and "residing invitation to surrender in annihilation". Under the powerful military threat and political offensive, the Zheng Group gave up the attempt of stubborn armed resistance and accepted the Qing government's invitation to surrender. The Taiwan issue was thus resolved peacefully.

In April 1895, with the annihilation of the Bei Yang whole navy force and the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, the Qing government, under Japan's coerce, was forced to cede the whole island of Taiwan and the affiliated islands. From then on Japan had begun its colonial rule over Taiwan. It was only until 1945 when Japan was defeated in World War II that Taiwan again returned to the embrace of the motherland.

The country's reunification nine times in history was all brought about by the method of force. However, the Chinese who advocate rite, benevolence and virtue always have the tradition of creating miracles. Today, the Chinese along the two sides of the Straits should have the abilities and conditions to create a new wonder by solving the question regarding the reunification of the motherland by peaceful means. This is also the greatest sincerity of the Chinese Communists.

Reunification is the highest idea of the Chinese nation, for the reunification of the motherland, people between the two sides of the Straits will persevere in struggle till victory.

The Chinese nation is a nation cherishing reunification, the pursuit of reunification, as a basic value standard of the descendants of the Yan and Huang emperors, is deeply stamped in the traditional culture of the Chinese nation. A comprehensive look at history shows that countless sons and daughters of China had shed their blood in defense of the treasure island Taiwan and for the realization of the reunification of the motherland, their illustrious names will shine forever like the sun and the moon and exist as long as seas and rivers.

Between 1661-62, during Zheng Chenggong's struggle to drive out the Dutch invaders and recover Taiwan, the Taiwan people employed various means to support Zheng's army to resist foreign aggressors. He Bin who acted as interpreter for the Dutch in Taiwan twice presented Taiwan maps to Zheng Chenggong, briefed Zheng on the related situation in Taiwan and explored for Zheng the best channel for landing on Taiwan. The Taiwan people provided Zheng Chenggong with huge amounts of military provisions, helping the Zheng troops to overcome the difficulties caused by famine. Simultaneously when offering various kinds of assistance, the Taiwan people actively went into actions, they either rose in struggle to force the Dutch colonialists into the end of their rope; or assaulted the Dutch castles, burned down the Dutch houses; or sailed boats to block the channel and stop the passing of Dutch ships; or killed enemy officers to seize the enemy's weapons, thus dealing a heavy blow to the Dutch troops.

In the struggle against Taiwan waged during the early years of the Qing Dynasty, the Qing government's pursuance of the principle of upholding reunification won the support of the Taiwan people yearning for return to their native land. According to historical records, under the Qing government's tactic of offering amnesty and enlistment, the Zheng group's social foundation continued to crumble, twice setting off upsurges of surrendering to the Qing court. In the first time, more than 100,000 people crossed over to the Qing court; and 130,000 people in the second time. When Shi Lang army accepted the surrenders, both officials of the Zheng group and the Taiwan people greeted the army in different ways. It is thus clear, reunification always represents the general trend and the popular feelings.

In 1895, after the defeat of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95, the corrupt and impotent Qing court ceded Taiwan. Patriotic soldiers and civilians in Taiwan waged vigorous struggle against cession of Taiwan, they launched more than 20 large-scale anti-Japanese armed struggles during the half century of Japanese invasion and occupation of Taiwan. During these anti-Japanese struggles, about 650,000 people had sacrificed their lives. During the nationwide war of resistance against Japan, Taiwan compatriots, responding to the struggle, shed their blood on the mainland. Under the indomitable struggle waged by the people across the Straits, Taiwan finally shook off Japan's colonial rule and returned to the embrace of the motherland.

Reunification represents the popular feeling and the general trend. In the struggle against aggression waged by the people across the Straits to defend the territorial integrity of the motherland, they had cemented and consolidated their kinship characterized by blood thicker than water and enhanced their national consciousness for reunification.

The complex of the Chinese culture that has been carried forward for thousands of years cannot be negated by anybody. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, especially after the Qing Dynasty, large numbers of people from the mainland migrated to Taiwan where they, together with the local people, had made their own contribution for the development and construction of Taiwan. In the process of migration through ages, the broad and profound Chinese culture was brought to Taiwan by the migramts, which has been further enriched and developed along with the practice of production and livelihood.

In the struggle against cession of Taiwan in 1895, the anti-Japanese armed forces and the people "would rather die than lose Taiwan, and would never cause the loss of Taiwan by ceding it"; precisely due to the ardent love for the Chinese culture, during the rule of Japanese colonialists, the Taiwan people adopted various methods to oppose Japan's attempt to turn the Chinese culture into something for the "imperial subjects" so as to demonstrate their memory of their motherland. The Chinese culture is the crystallization formed by the people across the Straits in the process of common production and labor, it is all the more the bond linking the people across the Straits, it serves as an important spiritual pillar in the struggle launched by the people on both sides of the Straits for the realization of the reunification of the motherland.

Today, a handful of "Taiwan independence" elements and Taiwan splitting forces still obstinately cling to the separatist stand in a vain attempt to cut Taiwan's link with the motherland in the fields of history, culture, and national tradition, and cut off the historical link between Taiwan and the motherland, they attempt to achieve the despicable aim of separating Taiwan from the motherland. However, the common language, common characters, common customs and habits, common literature and arts, and common ethic concepts that have been handed down and carried forward for thousands of years cannot be negated by anyone, nor be undermined by any force.

(people'sdaily.com.cn 09/11/2001)