Chinese Professor Li Yi posted a video on his YouTube channel from a recent symposium, in which he stated that China can withstand the loss of 70 or 140 million of its people for the sake of the reunification with Taiwan.
After this statement was met with heavy criticism in China, Professor LI Yi responded in a video posted on May 24, 2023, saying: "China has 1.4 billion people, even if half of them die, there are still 700 million left."
Li Yi: "I think that among the 1.4 billion people on mainland [China], there must be some who are already prepared for a death toll of 140 million or 70 million. With just a bit more education, these young people will all agree that for the unification with Tiwan, it is acceptable for China to lose 140 million or 70 million people.
"China has 1.4 billion people, even if half of them die, there are 700 million left. Do you hear me?"