PUBLISHED in seven languages, the first White Paper on the Taiwan question issued by Beijing is more for world consumption than the 21 million people on the Kuomintang-ruled island.
Similar to the White Paper on human rights published in November 1991 and the White Paper on the Tibet issue released in September last year, the 12,000-word paper was announced amid looming threats of the so-called ''internationalisation'' of the Taiwanissue.
The common purpose of the three White Papers is aimed at winning sympathy from the world community for China's reunification cause, while warning ''hostile'' foreign forces not to meddle in what Beijing called its ''internal affairs''.
Despite criticism against domestic pro-independence activists on the island for blocking Beijing's efforts to end the 44-year separation, harsher words were used to lambast foreign countries - mainly the United States - for causing all the fuss.
It was the intervention of foreign forces which was the ''main reason'' for the emergence of the ''Taiwan question'' at the end of World War II.
It was ''with the support of the US'' that part of the Kuomintang faction established its foothold in Taiwan after 1949, creating the separation across the Straits.