On the afternoon of 4th May, Li Peng, Dean of the Graduate Institute for Taiwan Studies of Xiamen University, visited the China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies (CIBOS), and gave a seminar on “The Current Situation in the Taiwan Strait from the Perspective of China and the United States”. Faculties and students from the Institute for Taiwan Studies of Wuhan University, the CIBOS and the Wuhan University Institute for International Studies (IIS) attended this seminar.

Prof. Li Peng focused on the impact of the US factor on Taiwan Issue. He pointed out that Trump has shown "unconventional" characteristics in dealing with the Taiwan Issue. Trump does not follow the political tradition, and that makes the Taiwan Issue remain highly uncertain. China has consistently emphasized that the Taiwan Issue is the most important and sensitive issue that affecting the China-US relations. The signing of the "Taiwan Travel Act", the deploying of the United States Marine Corps on the AIT, and the selling of military equipment as well as transferring submarine technology to Taiwan, all demonstrate that the current Taiwan issue constitutes new challenges to the China-US relations. Prof. Li Peng pointed out that the essence of the US Taiwan policy is to respect China on the surface and to challenge the “One-China policy” in effect. Since the 1970s, the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan Issue has been the common understanding cross-straits as well as the international community. However, China and the US have different views on how to resolve this issue: The US side hopes for an unconditional peace settlement, while Mainland China has proposed a complete plan for peaceful reunification and has made no commitment to renounce the use of force.

（Prof. Li Peng）

Prof. Li Peng further pointed out that, the US factor is a key element in solving the Taiwan Issue; however, it is not the determining factor. General Secretary Xi Jinping has said that, the fundamental factor determining the movement of the cross-strait relationship is the development of mainland. We have to keep developing, and on the same time take the right policy in dealing with the Taiwan Issue. The mainland should have a great perspective; keep its strategic confidence and strategic strength, using actions that demonstrate cross-straits “in fact unified” to combat narratives that advocating Taiwan “in fact separate”.

(Rewritten by Yang Jingjie)

(Edited by Fu Shanshan)