Judge Urges Collaboration to Address Outstanding Bench Warrants Nationwide

 In a prelude to Taiwan's upcoming presidential election, Song Tao, head of Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office, delivered a New Year's message urging the people of Taiwan to align themselves with what he termed as "the right side of history" by opposing independence.

Published in the state-backed journal Cross-strait Connections and the party-controlled China News Service, Song emphasized the importance of restoring cross-strait relations to a path of "peaceful development."

"Taiwan compatriots should consider the bigger picture, shoulder responsibilities, and follow the right path," Song stated, urging them to advocate for the return of cross-strait relations to a trajectory of peaceful development and support the process of the peaceful reunification of the motherland.

Highlighting China's commitment to preserving regional peace, Song pledged firm support for reunification forces within Taiwan while vehemently opposing any notions of Taiwan independence or external interference. However, he did not specify who he categorized as "patriotic" or "separatists."

The impending presidential election on January 13 is widely regarded as pivotal in shaping Taiwan's relations with both Beijing and the United States in the coming years. The incumbent Vice-President William Lai Ching-te, representing the ruling independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, is currently leading in the polls.

Beijing's recent rhetoric has intensified amid heightened military pressures on Taiwan, considering it as breakaway territory that must be reintegrated under Chinese control.

Emphasizing the goal of reunification, Song stressed that collaboration across the straits is pivotal for achieving the millennia-old mission of reunification with the mainland.

Amidst Beijing's stance against Taiwan's ruling party and President Tsai Ing-wen's policies, tensions persist, with warnings that diverging from the perceived path of peace could lead Taiwan further away from prosperity and closer to the possibility of conflict.

Song's message underscores the ongoing complexities in cross-strait relations and the significance of the imminent election in shaping the future landscape of Taiwan's ties with China and global diplomatic dynamics.

Statement

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Judge Urges Collaboration to Address Outstanding Bench Warrants Nationwide