TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After announcing China's "26 measures" to entice Taiwanese talent to work in the country, an anchor from China's state-run TV station CCTV called on "Wan Wan [Taiwan]" to return home (湾湾, 回家吧).
On Monday (Nov. 4), China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced 26 additional "measures" to further promote economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait," including 13 for Taiwanese companies and 13 for Taiwanese citizens, whom they purport will be provided "equal treatment with the Chinese populace."
That same day, CCTV anchor Hai Xia (海霞) appeared in a prerecorded video to announce the new incentives and said, "We show our sincerity to our Taiwanese compatriots because we are all Chinese. Taiwan's destiny is connected with its motherland. Wan Wan come home!" These words were rapidly shared on China's heavily censored and carefully orchestrated social media platform Weibo, but Taiwanese netizens were incensed at the condescending, childish word "Wan Wan" used to refer to Taiwan.
Hai further said, "Some people are not being pragmatic about such practical measures. They also say strange things and even spread rumors and slander. If they don't have a Chinese heart, how can they understand our sincerity?" Chinese netizens on Weibo then dutifully spouted words of praise for Hai's statement:
"Wan Wan! Mama is calling you home."
"Come home, Wan Wan. Don't let the Americans cheat you. It's the mainland that really wants to protect you."
"Hurry up and come home!"
"I hope to see Taiwan return in my lifetime."
Taiwanese netizens on the other hand, were less than enthusiastic about the latest propaganda ploy by the communist regime:
"These measures have nothing to do with me. What gives you the right to force me to agree?"
"How gross! I'm not feeling so good. So much arrogance."
"How strange! Why do your people sneak into Europe and America to seek political asylum?"
"Who is the one pointing missiles at us? What mother would take a knife to her so-called children?"
"Once we come home, we'll be beaten behind closed doors."
"Go away, Aunt Tiger."
In response to the new measures, Taiwan's MOFA released a tweet at 2:10 p.m. on Monday, intentionally written in the Spartan simplified script used in the communist state. The tweet starts out by saying "The TAO has launched 26 measures for Taiwan, last year there were 31 measures. It looks like a lot of measures."
In reference to the tattered "one-country, two-systems" framework that China has slowly whittled away at over the past 20 years in Hong Kong, MOFA then writes, "But we have no use for 'one country, two systems.' Really, thanks, but no thanks. It would be nice to also give Chinese people more freedom, oh."
中国国台办推出对台26条,去年也有31条,看起来好多条。 但我们台湾用不到「一国两制」,真的不用客气。 给你们人民多点自由也不错ㄛ! JW
— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) (@MOFA_Taiwan) November 4, 2019