Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday announced the inevitable unification of Taiwan with mainland China.
What Happened: President Xi, during a commemoration event for Mao Zedong‘s 130th birth anniversary in Beijing on Tuesday, affirmed that the unification of Taiwan with mainland China “will surely be realized,” Nikkei Asia reported.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, Xi amplified his perspective, stating, “we will resolutely prevent anyone from splitting Taiwan from China in any way.”
Mao, the founding father of Communist China, wanted to unite the mainland with Taiwan during his lifetime, but he was unable to do so despite the strength China had during his time in office.
Xi and other high-ranking Chinese leaders paid a visit to the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall in Tiananmen Square, where Mao’s body was buried. Following this, Xi delivered a speech during a meeting at the nearby Great Hall of the People, in which he commended Mao as a “great patriot and national hero.”
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Why It Matters: Xi’s comments come amid ongoing international tensions concerning China’s threat to Taiwan. Over the last four years, China has escalated military pressure on the island nation to emphasize its sovereignty claims.
Last week, it was revealed that the Chinese president reportedly conveyed to U.S. President Joe Biden that Beijing is determined to bring about a reunification with Taiwan. However, the timeline for this reunification remains undetermined.
The U.S. and Chinese officials also restarted military dialogues last week after over a year, hinting at a possible thaw in relations.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that there are no indications of significant Chinese military activities leading up to Taiwan’s elections scheduled for January. Although Taiwan has observed Chinese jets, warships, and balloons crossing the sensitive Taiwan Strait.
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