Taiwan demands China cease its 'saber-rattling'
Chinese soldier holds a Chinese flag during Peace Mission-2016 joint military exercises of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Edelweiss training area, Balykchy, China, Sept. 19, 2016. (AFP Photo)


The Taiwan government on Friday demanded that China stop its saber-rattling, which is hindering the reduction of regional tensions.

The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) 20th National Congress last week amended the party's constitution, vowing to deter independence for Taiwan and implement the policy of "one country, two systems" to govern the island democracy.

"Beijing should stop its saber-rattling as it only deepens the gap between the two sides and raises tensions in the region. An armed confrontation is absolutely not an option," Chiu Tai-san, minister for Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), which handles dealings with Beijing, told an international conference themed on China's power shift and governance.

"We have long advocated that the key to resolving political differences is never any forceful imposition of unilaterally set political endgames, political frameworks or military invasion," Chiu said.

Chiu added that the 23 million people of Taiwan have already resolutely rejected the CCP's obstinate "one China" principle and the formula of "one country, two systems."

"In light of China's new power structure, our concerns have deepened over whether China's policy direction is in line with its pledges regarding realizing people's democracy, developing a free economy, abiding by the rules-based international order, shouldering its responsibility to world peace and sharing benefits fairly," Chiu said.

"In this process, it is even more crucial for the international community to lead the way as an exemplar of universal values," Chiu said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping consolidated his power at last week's congress with an unprecedented third time in office and he again threatened to take Taiwan.

Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the democratic island part of its territory.