Mainland China is about to implement the "15th Five-Year" National Economic and Social Development Five-Year Plan next year, which is officially referred to as the "Outline for the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development". Zhang Weiwei, Director of the China Institute at Fudan University in Shanghai, said that he had previously suggested to mainland researchers on cross-strait relations that propaganda towards Taiwan could be slightly more flexible and present more vivid content. For example, telling Taiwan that a five-year plan can already be started for Taiwan.
On the December 9 broadcast of the program "This is China," Zhang Weiwei said that mainland departments handling Taiwan affairs could publicize to the Taiwanese public: "After unification, within 5 to 10 years, Taipei's infrastructure will reach the level of China's second-tier cities. Another 15 years will bring it up to Shanghai's level—which would be remarkable—and after 20 years, it would reach world-class standards."
From October 26 to 28 this year, Xinhua News Agency published a series of three articles under the byline "Zhong Taiwen": "The Origins and Nature of the Taiwan Issue," "The Development of Cross-Strait Relations and the Benefits of Unification," and "The Inevitable Unification of the Motherland." Zhang Weiwei noted that these articles mentioned Taiwan's lack of electricity, lack of water, and shortage of many basic raw materials, and that the mainland could provide assistance to Taiwan on very favorable terms.
He said that the mainland's huge market could enable the Taiwanese economy to "rise to a much higher level," especially in new industries, where the mainland is very methodical. Zhang Weiwei said, "You see, in this five-year plan, traditional industries are being empowered by AI, and for emerging and future industries, there are different methods of support for each type. In the future, when Taiwan's economy is planned together [with the mainland], there will be much for Taiwan to learn from the mainland."
Regarding the mention of "advancing China's unification" in the CCP's Fourth Plenary Session communique, Zhang Weiwei pointed out that there's a difference between "advancing" and "promoting." Advancing is very concrete, step by step—"now you can see it’s one step after another."
Zhang Weiwei claimed that when mainland Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Trump met in Busan, South Korea at the end of October and did not bring up the Taiwan issue, someone asked him the reason. He replied: "Sometimes silence speaks louder than words; listen to thunder in the silence."
Zhang Weiwei emphasized that China is now strong enough to be self-assured and not discuss such matters with others—"we make our own decisions." If it must be discussed, he quoted a line from the mainland film "The Wandering Earth 2": "We are not here to negotiate with you—we are here to inform you." It's just that simple. (Source: United Daily News)