By countering reunification, Tsai shoots herself in the foot

President Xi Jinping delivered a speech on Jan 2 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Message to Taiwan Compatriots, which was widely welcomed by people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. The emphasis of Xi's speech was on the integrated development of the Chinese mainland and the island, and the peaceful reunification of Taiwan with the motherland under the "one country, two systems" principle, which compatriots in Taiwan have supported.

While leaders of some political parties and social groups, as well as ordinary residents on the island have expressed their desire to visit the mainland for consultations to facilitate the national reunification process, Tsai Ing-wen, the island's "pro-independent" leader, and her ruling Democratic Progressive Party devised a counter-plan against national reunification.

First, the DPP and the Tsai administration want to have a greater say in cross-Straits relations. After Xi's speech, the New Party, which supports national reunification, said its officials were ready to visit the mainland for political consultations. And Kuomintang said that, if it won the island's election next year, it would like to sign a peace agreement with Beijing to ensure permanent peace across the Straits.