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A fascinating post, Alex!
I'm woefully ignorant about this topic, I'm afraid, but am hoping to get better educated soon.
I was intrigued, in any case, to run across Zhou Enlai's comments about Taiwan -- now in our archives! (https://www.theiramerica.org/the-chinese-people-will-not-tolerate-aggression-zhou-enlai/) -- from way back in 1950 (he is assessing the implications for China of American support of anti-communist forces in the region, and specifically of the US's entry into the Korean War). Most interesting to me was his sense of destiny in regard to Chinese unification, and the importance of Tibet in those plans (which I mistakenly assumed was not a focal point of Chinese interest until decades later).

Today the first unification of the Chinese people has emerged. The people themselves have become the masters of Chinese soil, and the rule of the reactionaries in China has been irrevocably overthrown.

Since the enemy annihilated by the Chinese people was armed by the U.S. Government, then we can completely affirm that the Chinese people have not only won victory over the enemy at home, but also over the enemy abroad—that is, the imperialist interventionists of the United States. If the American imperialists still want to intervene in and invade China with whatever new means and in whatever new forms, they will then meet with the same defeat that befell the Kuomintang.

The struggle between the Chinese people and the remnant of Kuomintang reactionaries has not yet come to an end. This is because Taiwan, which is occupied by the reactionary remnants, is now under the direct control of the American Navy and Air Force.

The People’s Liberation Army is determined to liberate Taiwan from the grip of the American aggressors, and to clear out the lairs of the reactionary brigands of China once and for all. It will be seen that, in the war for the liberation of Taiwan, our strategic position is much better than any enemy’s. On our side stands inspired righteousness; our rear is close, vast and consolidated and we are now redoubling our efforts for the final victory. The People’s Liberation Army is also determined to march westward to liberate the Tibetan people and defend the frontiers of China. We are willing to undertake peaceful negotiations to bring about this step, which is necessary to the security of our motherland. The patriots in Tibet have expressly welcomed this, and we hope that the local authorities in Tibet will not hesitate in bringing about a peaceful solution to the question.