ANALYSIS/Xi's visit to Fujian shows soft approach to cross-strait ties: Experts

Taipei, Oct. 18 (CNA) Chinese President Xi Jinping's (習近平) remarks during his visit to Fujian province following the "Joint Sword-2024B" military drills encircling Taiwan reflected a "soft approach" in handling cross-strait relations, experts told CNA on Friday.

After President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) National Day address on Oct. 10, Beijing held the military exercises on Oct. 14, which covered areas around Taiwan and involved the China Coast Guard, along with the army, navy, air force and rocket force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Chang Wu-ueh (張五岳), director of Tamkang University's Center for Cross-Strait Relations, said that Beijing has "no basis of trust at all" in Lai, and regardless of what he said in his National Day speech, Beijing would respond with countermeasures.

In his speech, Lai said that "the Republic of China (Taiwan's official name) and the People's Republic of China (PRC, China's official name) are not subordinate to each other," adding that the PRC "has no right to represent Taiwan."

China's Foreign Ministry slammed Lai for using different means to "sell the fallacy of 'Taiwan independence.'"

While the hard approach in response to Lai's speech -- the military exercises -- ended on Oct. 14, "Beijing understands that it cannot rely solely on hard tactics without also employing soft ones," Chang noted.

He added that if Beijing only adopts a hard approach and focuses solely on opposing Taiwan independence, it will harm efforts to promote reunification.

As the leader of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs, Xi did not put forward any hardline demands on China's Taiwan policy in his speeches in Fujian, where he stayed from Oct. 15 to 16, Chang noted.

Xi said that Fujian will need to "take greater strides in exploring new paths for cross-strait integrated development," and cross-strait cultural exchanges will need to be promoted while "jointly carrying forward Chinese culture," according to a front-page report by the People's Daily -- the CCP's official newspaper -- on Thursday.

The promotion of cross-strait cultural exchanges and Chinese culture can enhance "the national, cultural, and state identity of Taiwanese compatriots," Xi added.

Chang noted that Xi "did not make any 'typical criticism' of Lai," but reiterated the importance of integrated development, expanding exchanges, and encouraging Fujian -- the Chinese province closest to Taiwan -- to actively explore new approaches.

"He did not express any strong criticism against Taiwan independence or cross-strait relations," Chang observed.

Chang pointed out that simply opposing Taiwan independence -- if it hinders efforts to promote reunification -- is not the approach Beijing wants to take, thus he predicted that the Chinese government will place more emphasis on its softer approach in the near future.

He also analyzed that Xi's visit to Fujian, followed by his trip to Anhui province, was mainly focused on China's modernization, covering areas such as basic infrastructure and production issues.

"His main focus is not actually on the Taiwan Strait issue, just that it is impossible for Fujian to be absent from discussions related to the Taiwan Strait issue," Chang said.

However, Arthur Wang (王智盛), secretary-general of the Asia-Pacific Elite Interchange Association and an expert on cross-strait relations, noted that the sequence of events, with Xi visiting Fujian right after the military drills, "must have been carefully calculated."

"Otherwise, Xi wouldn't have appeared in Fujian soon after the 13-hour military drills concluded... especially when his itinerary could not have been decided at the last minute the day before," Wang said.

In terms of Beijing's approach, Wang said that China is striving to clearly differentiate between the small group of Taiwan independence advocates and the broader Taiwanese public, explaining that is why Xi would adopt a soft approach in his speech right after the military drills.

"They are trying to create an image that the military drills were only aimed at Taiwan independence supporters," Wang said. "Xi 's softer emphasis on integrated development and shared cultural roots in his speech seems, to some extent, directed at the broader Taiwanese public," he added.

The difference increasingly highlights Beijing's so-called "soft and hard approach" in its Taiwan policy, Wang noted.

Wang noted that Xi's first stop during his visit to Fujian was Dongshan Island, a frontline area for China's military operations against Taiwan, speculating that Xi went there to inspect PLA units, although it was not reported in the news.

"The primary purpose was, of course, to solidify the morale of the PLA... especially reinforcing the belief in not abandoning the option of military action against Taiwan," he said, suggesting that it was not reported because Xi was mainly showcasing a soft approach during the visit.

Asked to comment on Xi's Fujian visit, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) deputy head Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said little on Thursday at a regular news conference.

Liang simply said that the MAC had noticed Xi "made a special visit to Fujian," and that "we have been observing his remarks."