‘Provocation’ could accelerate Taiwan reunification: retired PLA major general

Retired PLA major general Luo Yan warned that Taiwan's leader, William Lai Ching-te, is challenging Beijing's red lines, which could accelerate reunification, according to the South China Morning Post. Speaking at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, Luo stated that the timeline for reunification with mainland China depends on factors such as the island's level of provocation, Taiwan's defense needs, and the global security environment.

He expressed concern that if Taiwan continues to provoke, the Taiwan Strait could become "a dangerous situation fraught with the risk of conflict." Luo also referenced Lai's description of mainland China as a "foreign hostile force," which Beijing has denounced as an attempt to provoke tensions. The retired PLA major general emphasized that peaceful reunification remains the ultimate goal, but added that the means to achieve it are not specified.

The issue of US arms sales to Taiwan, reportedly valued at about US$14 billion, was highlighted as a sensitive aspect of the Taiwan issue, with Luo likening them to "playing with fire." The possibility of a tacit security alliance between Taiwan and Japan, marked by their cooperation in the drone industry, was also discussed, as tensions between Beijing and Tokyo have escalated following remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November last year.

Chang Ya-chung, a Taiwanese political scientist and head of Sun Yat-sen School in Taipei, called for the resumption of institutionalized communication between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to help maintain peace.