Xi Jinping Asserts ‘Inevitable’ Reunification of China and Taiwan Amid Rising Tensions
In his New Year’s address, Chinese President Xi Jinping proclaimed the ‘reunification’ of China and Taiwan as a ‘historical inevitability’, marking a significant escalation in Beijing’s rhetoric towards the island nation.
This declaration comes at a time when tensions are mounting between the two, particularly in light of Taiwan’s forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections slated for January 13.
China’s Stance on Taiwan
China regards Taiwan as its ‘sacred territory’, a view rooted in the historical context where the Republic of China government retreated to Taiwan in 1949 following defeat by Mao Zedong’s communists, who then established the People’s Republic of China.
The Chinese government has been intensifying military pressure on Taiwan and has not discarded the prospect of using force to achieve reunification. Xi, however, stopped short of explicitly mentioning military action in his speech.
Taiwan’s Presidential Elections & China’s Criticism
The current vice president of Taiwan and leading presidential candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Lai Ching-te, is a figure Beijing has labeled as a separatist and a ‘destroyer of peace’ across the Taiwan Strait.
The DPP promotes the idea that only Taiwan’s people can decide their future—a position echoed by Lai’s main adversary, Hou Yu-ih of the Kuomintang (KMT). While the KMT traditionally advocates for closer ties to China, it rejects being characterized as pro-Beijing.
Republic of China vs People’s Republic of China
Lai recently made a statement asserting that the Republic of China and People’s Republic of China ‘are not subordinate to each other’, a comment that has further provoked Beijing.
This tense dynamic, coupled with the upcoming elections, signals that the relationship between China and Taiwan will be a significant theme to watch in the coming year.
