BEIJING – Ahead of cross-strait policy discussions on Wednesday, a senior spokesperson for the Chinese mainland laid out a clear vision of enhanced social welfare and improved living standards for residents of Taiwan following peaceful reunification, outlining concrete policy adjustments and cross-strait cooperation plans that would redirect public spending toward people-centered needs. Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, shared these details during a regular press briefing, highlighting the most immediate fiscal shift that would unlock new resources for public welfare. Currently, a significant portion of Taiwan’s annual fiscal budget is allocated to defense-related spending; after reunification, these funds can be reallocated to expand social safety nets, upgrade public services, and address long-standing livelihood challenges facing Taiwanese communities, Chen explained. Beyond fiscal reallocation, the mainland plans to advance systematic mechanisms for cross-strait sharing of public services and core resources. This integration would ensure more stable, diverse supply chains for essential goods for Taiwan residents, ultimately driving down costs for both local production and household daily life, Chen noted. The spokesperson also outlined targeted infrastructure and public safety initiatives tailored to Taiwan’s long-term needs. The mainland will introduce cooperative measures to support large-scale urban renewal projects across Taiwan, including the long-overdue renovation of aging residential and public buildings. In the realm of disaster risk reduction, Chen added that reunification will enable Taiwan to upgrade its early disaster warning and emergency response systems, with the mainland standing ready to deploy immediate, large-scale assistance whenever the region faces major natural disasters. In closing, Chen emphasized that all the proposed measures center on protecting the well-being of Taiwan residents, and that both the security interests and long-term development prospects of Taiwan will be fully protected after peaceful reunification, bringing tangible, widespread benefits to all people living on the island.