Description
China’s newly revised law on the use of simplified Chinese characters across the country has, among other requirements, new provisions increasing punishments imposed on parties who violate the law. If the Chinese Communist Party is indeed interested in resolving the “Taiwan issue” through peaceful reunification, the language differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should be addressed. This approach would closely align with the “opinions” enumerated by Xi Jinping during his recent meeting with Taiwan’s Kuomintang Chairperson CHENG Li-wun: “foster spiritual harmony through a correct sense of identity […] with […] Chinese culture”. The revised law does make it possible to create exceptions allowing people in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao to use traditional Chinese characters deeply rooted in Chinese culture. Yet a better and long-term approach is worth considering.
中国新修订的关于在全国范围内使用简体汉字的法律，涵盖加大对违法者的处罚力度、强调中国共产党领导地位等新规定。如果中国共产党确实希望通过和平统一解决“台湾问题”，就应处理海峡两岸的语言差异。这做法将与习近平在近期会见台湾国民党主席郑丽文时提出的“意见”相符：以对“[…]中华文化”的“正确认同促进心灵契合”。该修订后的法律是可以设立例外规定的，从而允许台湾、香港和澳门的民众使用那些深深植根于中华文化的繁体汉字。然而，一种更为妥善且着眼长远的做法值得考虑。
