Nothing can separate us. We are one family”. So said Xi Jinping after becoming the first president of China to shake hands with a president of Taiwan. The meeting between Mr Xi and Ma Ying-jeou was undoubtedly historic. And yet Mr Xi’s talk of “family” reminded me of the way that a Hollywood mafia don might use the term — in a manner that mixes charm with menace. The fact is that Beijing still insists that Taiwan is a rebel province and reserves the right to attack its family member should Taiwan ever declare independence.
“沒有任何力量能把我們分開。我們是……血濃于水的一家人。”這是習(xí)近平在成為中國大陸首位與臺灣總統(tǒng)握手的國家主席之后說過的話。習(xí)近平與馬英九的會面無疑具有歷史意義。然而，習(xí)近平談到的“一家人”讓我想起好萊塢電影中黑手黨老大用到這個(gè)詞時(shí)的情景：既富有魅力又暗含威脅。事實(shí)是，中國大陸仍堅(jiān)稱，臺灣是一個(gè)叛離省份，并保留一旦臺灣宣布獨(dú)立將展開攻擊的權(quán)利。