Li Yihu, a Chinese NPC deputy, warns that Taiwan could lose autonomy if forcibly reunited with China. A peaceful unification might offer more flexible arrangements, but movements towards separation would likely lead to a restriction of Taiwan’s governance privileges.

A warning has been issued by Li Yihu, a deputy to China’s national legislature, regarding Taiwan’s potential loss of autonomy if it were to reunite with the mainland by force. He stated that if reunification occurs peacefully, arrangements could be more flexible compared to those in Hong Kong and Macau, which currently operate under the ‘one country, two systems’ framework.

Li elaborated that should Taiwan move towards independence or resist reunification, the proposed autonomy could be significantly reduced. He indicated that in such cases, the arrangement might revert to a status akin to that of Taiwan province, thereby stripping away the previously negotiated autonomy.

Mainland leaders have consistently supported the “one country, two systems” model, asserting that it would allow Taiwan to maintain its current governance structure and retain a high degree of autonomy post-unification. Under this model, both Hong Kong and Macau preserve unique legislative and judicial systems, as well as some representation in international affairs.

The comments from Li Yihu underscore the conditional nature of Taiwan’s autonomy in the event of reunification with the mainland. A peaceful resolution could result in more leniency regarding governance, whereas any moves towards independence may lead to a significant downgrading of Taiwan’s autonomy.

Original Source: www.scmp.com

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