‘Provocation’ could accelerate Taiwan reunification, retired PLA major general says

Progress towards reunifying with Taiwan hinges on factors like the island’s level of provocation, retired PLA major general Luo Yan told the South China Morning Post, warning that Taiwan’s leader had challenged Beijing’s red lines.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Wednesday, Luo said the timeline for reunification with mainland China was shaped by “the development of our national strength, our defence needs, the global security environment, as well as the degree of provocation from Taiwan”.

If Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te “continues to provoke, the Taiwan Strait will be plunged into a dangerous situation fraught with the risk of conflict”, added Luo, who is widely regarded as a hardline figure.

Luo’s remarks came amid heightened cross-strait tensions since Lai, of the independent-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), took office in 2024.