Peaceful reunification to offer socio-economic benefits for Taiwan

A Chinese mainland spokeswoman has highlighted the significant opportunities available for Taiwan's economic and social development following peaceful reunification.

Zhang Han, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday, "With a strong motherland at its back, Taiwan will see progress in all areas, including infrastructure development."

Her remarks came in response to recent discussions on the island regarding the mainland's high-speed rail network, which has expanded to a total length of 50,400 kilometers.

Some people in Taiwan have noted that if mainland capital and technology were introduced, projects such as tunneling through the island's central mountain range would no longer pose difficulties, and travel across the island would no longer be threatened by road closures or landslides, providing a real sense of security.

Zhang highlighted that the mainland has developed the world's largest and most advanced high-speed railway network, both in terms of scale and modernization. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, more than 12,000 kilometers of high-speed rail have been put into operation, connecting 128 counties. The network now covers 97 percent of cities with urban populations exceeding 500,000.

"Peaceful reunification will create enormous opportunities for Taiwan's economic and social development," Zhang said, adding that people in Taiwan will join their mainland counterparts in sharing the achievements of Chinese-style modernization.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's total imports of consumer goods reached $49.4 billion in 2025, with 24.5 percent of those goods sourced from the mainland, ranking first among all suppliers, according to reports.

Zhang stressed that strengthening cross-Strait economic cooperation and deepening integrated development across the Taiwan Strait is the right path, serving the shared interests of compatriots on both sides.

"We will continue our efforts to ensure that compatriots in Taiwan share in the mainland's development achievements in all aspects of daily life, including food, clothing, housing and transportation," she added.