BEIJING, March 18 (Reuters) – China offered on Wednesday what it said would be energy stability to Taiwan if it agreed to Beijing’s rule, part of a campaign by China to convince the island of the benefits of “reunification”, which it has long rejected.
Governments around the world are scrambling for alternative energy supplies during the Middle East War and severing of shipping lanes through the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Taiwan, which had received a third of its LNG from Qatar and sources no energy from China, has said it has secured alternative supplies for the months ahead, including from the United States, the island’s main international backer.
Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters in Beijing that “peaceful reunification” would bring better protection of Taiwan’s energy and resource security with a “strong motherland” as its backing.
“We are willing to provide Taiwan compatriots with stable and reliable energy and resource security, so that they may live better lives,” he said, responding to a question about Taiwan’s energy supplies during the war in the Middle East.
There was no immediate response to the comments from Taiwan’s government, which rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says only the island’s people can decide their future.
Speaking at a meeting of his ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Taipei on Wednesday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te reiterated that energy supplies for this month and next are assured, and from June more U.S. gas will be imported.
“Taiwan has adopted a diversified and multi-source strategic approach to energy imports,” Lai said, according to a party statement.
China has long offered Taiwan “one country, two systems” autonomy if it agrees to be brought under Beijing’s control, which no major Taiwanese political party supports.
In October, China’s official Xinhua news agency mapped out what it said were the advantages Taiwan would enjoy after “reunification”, including economic support, but said the island had to be run by “patriots”.
China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.
China, the world’s top oil importer, last week banned fuel exports until at least the end of March, in an attempt to pre-empt domestic shortages, sources said, curbing exports that last year totalled $22 billion.
(Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Michael Perry)
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