Unity Is a Blessing; Secession Leads to Disaster
团结是福，分裂是祸
Ambassador Chen Xiaodong
驻南非大使陈晓东
16 August 2021
2021年8月16日
Realising national rejuvenation has been the ultimate aspiration of the Chinese nation since modern times, and a historical mission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) since its inception. At the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC last month, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech, stressing that resolving the Taiwan question and realising China’s complete reunification is a historic mission and an unshakable commitment of the CPC. Jinping expressed his earnest expectation that all of us, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, should come together and move forward in unison. He stressed that we must uphold the one-China policy and the 1992 Consensus to promote peaceful reunification of the Chinese nation and take resolute action to defeat any attempt to seek “Taiwan independence” and work together to create a bright future for national rejuvenation.
实现中华民族伟大复兴，是近代以来中华民族最伟大的梦想，是中国共产党一经成立就肩负的历史使命。上个月，在庆祝中国共产党成立100周年大会上，习近平总书记发表重要讲话，强调解决台湾问题、实现祖国完全统一，是中国共产党矢志不渝的历史任务，是全体中华儿女的共同愿望。要坚持一个中国原则和“九二共识”，推进祖国和平统一进程。习近平总书记重要讲话表达了对包括两岸同胞在内所有中华儿女和衷共济、团结向前，坚决粉碎任何“台独”图谋，共创民族复兴美好未来的殷切期望。
China’s full reunification is essential to realising national rejuvenation. China is the only major country in the world that has yet to achieve full reunification. This is a trauma left over from history. Foreign aggressors took advantage of a weak China by invading and occupying Taiwan over 120 years ago. After the victory of the war of resistance against Japanese aggression in 1945, Taiwan returned to the motherland, and the national humiliation which lasted for half a century was righted after China emerged from World War II victoriously. However, shortly thereafter followed a special state of long-term political opposition on two sides of the Taiwan Strait ensuing in China’s civil war and the interference of external forces. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the CPC, the Chinese government, and the Chinese people have always regarded resolving the Taiwan question and realising full reunification as their unswerving historical mission. The Taiwan question was born of weakness and chaos, and will surely be resolved as China achieves national rejuvenation. In the new era, we have initiated an irreversible process in national rejuvenation. And national reunification is an essential component of the national rejuvenation, and this is a process that should not and could not be stopped. No one should underestimate the great resolve, the strong will, and the extraordinary ability of the Chinese people to defend their national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
中国实现完全统一是中华民族伟大复兴的必然要求。中国是世界上唯一尚未实现完全统一的大国,这是历史遗留给中华民族的创伤。120多年前，中华民族国力孱弱，导致台湾被外族侵占。1945年抗战胜利，台湾光复，重回祖国怀抱，半个世纪的民族耻辱得以洗刷。其后不久，由于中国内战延续和外部势力干涉，海峡两岸陷入长期政治对立的特殊状态。1949年中华人民共和国成立以来，中国共产党、中国政府、中国人民始终把解决台湾问题、实现祖国完全统一作为矢志不渝的历史任务。台湾问题因民族弱乱而生，必将随着民族复兴而终结。新时代中华民族伟大复兴进入了不可逆转的历史进程，国家统一是中华民族伟大复兴的必然要求，统一进程不可阻挡，任何人都不要低估中国人民捍卫国家主权和领土完整的坚强决心、坚定意志、强大能力！
The Chinese people have the ability and wisdom to solve our own problems. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed repeatedly that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share the same roots, language and culture. We are brothers of the same blood and we are families out of the same tree. No one can sever the blood ties between the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. It is because of the bond of kinship and out of the ardent expectation of family reunion that the door to cross-Straits exchanges was opened in the 1980s.
中国人完全有能力、有智慧解决好自己的问题。习近平总书记多次强调，两岸同胞同根同源、同文同种，是打断骨头连着筋的同胞兄弟，是血浓于水的一家人，谁也不能隔断两岸人民的血脉联系。也正是因为两岸兄弟亲情和两岸同胞对家人团聚的热切期盼，上世纪80年代两岸交往的大门正式打开。
This year marks the 6th anniversary of the historic meeting of leaders of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Back in November 2015, when I served as the Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, I was fortunate to witness the historic meeting between General Secretary Xi Jinping and the then Kuomintang leader Ma Ying-jeou in Singapore. The scene is still fresh in my memory. The leaders shook hands for up to 80 seconds at the meeting. It shows that this historic breakthrough was hard-won, meets the ardent expectations for the continuous progress of cross-Straits relations, and demonstrates to the world that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have the ability and wisdom to solve our own problems.
今年也是两岸领导人历史性会晤6周年。回顾2015年11月，我作为时任中国驻新加坡大使，有幸见证了习近平总书记在新加坡同台湾方面时任领导人马英九历史性会晤的过程。当时的场景至今历历在目，两岸领导人会面时紧紧握手长达80秒钟，反映出实现这一历史性突破的来之不易，充分回应了两岸同胞对两岸关系不断向前发展的殷切期待，向世人表明两岸中国人完全有能力、有智慧解决好自己的问题。
Integrated development on both sides of Taiwan Strait is the only path to peaceful reunification. The CPC has always shown concern for the interests and well-being of our Taiwan compatriots and actively creates conditions for cross-Straits exchanges and co-operation. In March, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed on a tour of inspection in Fujian province that it is necessary to promote integration through direct links, real benefits and the bond of the Chinese nation, and boldly explore new paths for cross-Straits integration and development. This pointed out the way forward for cross-Straits integrated development.
海峡两岸融合发展是和平统一的必由之路。中国共产党始终关心台湾同胞的利益福祉，积极为两岸交流合作创造条件。今年3月，习近平总书记在福建考察时强调，要以通促融、以惠促融、以情促融，勇于探索海峡两岸融合发展新路，为深化两岸融合发展指明了前进方向。
When Covid-19 broke out on the island, the mainland made active efforts to help Taiwan compatriots both on the island and in the mainland acquire vaccines and receive vaccination. By July 15, some 125 000 Taiwan compatriots in the mainland had been vaccinated with over 210 000 doses of vaccines. It epitomises the mutual help among the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait in times of difficulty. Bearing in mind the well-being of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, we will continue to improve relevant rules and policies to ensure that Taiwan compatriots are treated on an equal footing in the mainland, to foster cross-Straits exchanges and co-operation, integrated development, and to jointly create a bright future of national rejuvenation.
岛内疫情暴发以来，大陆积极为岛内台胞获取疫苗、为在大陆台胞接种疫苗提供协助，截至7月15日，已有12.5万名在大陆台胞接种超过21万剂次疫苗，这是两岸同胞同舟共济、守望相助的缩影。我们将继续以两岸同胞福祉为依归，完善保障台湾同胞在大陆享受同等待遇的制度和政策，促进海峡两岸交流合作、融合发展，同心共创民族复兴美好未来。
The international community supports the Chinese people in the just cause of opposing “Taiwan independence” separatist activities and striving for national reunification. There is only one China in the world, the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. Adherence to the one-China policy is a universally recognised norm of international relations and universal consensus of the international community. This year marks the 50th anniversary of China’s restoration of its lawful seat in the United Nations. On October 25, 1971, the 26th session of the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 by an overwhelming majority, which restores all rights of the People’s Republic of China in the UN and recognises that the representative of the People’s Republic of China is the only lawful representative of China in the UN. As Chairman Mao Zedong put it, it was our fellow developing countries that “carried” the People’s Republic of China into the UN.
国际社会支持中国人民反独促统的正义事业。世界上只有一个中国，中华人民共和国政府是代表全中国的唯一合法政府，台湾是中国领土不可分割的一部分。坚持一个中国原则是公认的国际关系准则，是国际社会普遍共识。今年是新中国恢复联合国合法席位50周年。1971年10月25日，第二十六届联合国大会以压倒多数通过第2758号决议，决定恢复中华人民共和国在联合国的一切权利，承认中华人民共和国政府的代表是中国在联合国的唯一合法代表。毛泽东主席曾经讲过，是发展中国家把我们抬进联合国的。
We will never forget the just support and deep friendship of the developing countries, especially our African brothers and sisters. Unity is a blessing, and secession leads to disaster. The nations and peoples plagued by secession, isolation, and turmoil worldwide have much to say about this. Sharing similar experiences with China in the past, South Africa fully understands and firmly supports the Chinese people’s just cause of opposing the “Taiwan independence” separatist activities and realising national reunification, and always upholds the one-China policy. This is the most salient feature of China and South Africa as good brothers, good friends and good partners.
我们永远不会忘记广大发展中国家特别是非洲兄弟对中国的正义支持和深情厚谊。团结是福，分裂是祸。国际社会曾饱受分裂、隔离、动荡之苦的民族和人民都对此有最深切的体会。南非与中国有着相似的历史遭遇，深刻理解和坚定支持中国人民反对“台独”分裂活动、完成国家统一的正义事业，始终奉行一个中国原则，这是中南作为好兄弟好朋友好伙伴最鲜明的特征。
The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China, and interference by external forces will not be tolerated. China is marching towards the second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The historical trend of achieving national strength, national rejuvenation and cross-Strait reunification is irresistible. I believe that the Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have the ability and wisdom to solve our own problem and contribute to world and regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.
台湾问题纯属中国内部事务，不容任何外部势力干涉。当前，中国正意气风发向着全面建成社会主义现代化强国的第二个百年奋斗目标迈进，国家强大、民族复兴、两岸统一的历史大势不可阻挡。相信两岸中国人有能力、有智慧解决好自己的问题，共同为世界与地区和平稳定、发展繁荣作出更大贡献。