Xi Jinping calls full reunification with Taiwan a historic mission

PRC leader's position on the Taiwan issue

Chinese leader Xi Jinping, speaking in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 12 November, emphasised the inevitability of the full "reunification" of Taiwan with the PRC. In his words, resolving this issue is the "unshakable historic mission" of the Chinese Communist Party.

Xi Jinping assured that Beijing intends to adhere to the strategy of "peaceful reunification" and the concept of "one country, two systems". He also expressed readiness to hold negotiations with Taiwan on the condition of adhering to the "one-China principle", which stipulates that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to a single state.

“The progress of history cannot be stopped. The complete reunification of the motherland must be achieved, and it will undoubtedly be achieved,” Xi Jinping emphasised, calling on all Chinese, including Taiwan residents, to unite their efforts to counter forces advocating the island's independence and to promote the peaceful development of relations.

Taiwan government's reaction

The Taiwan government rejected these statements. Liang Wen-chi, spokesperson for the Mainland Affairs Council, told journalists that neither the government nor the citizens of Taiwan can agree to the "one country, two systems" model, as this could lead to subordination to the authoritarian regime of the Communist Party.

“As for the formulation regarding the reunification of Taiwan, it is hardly different from what was said before,” the council spokesperson added.

Context of cross-strait tensions

The PRC authorities regard Taiwan as their territory, despite the fact that the island has never been part of the PRC and has been governed by its own administration since the proclamation of the republic in 1949. Beijing considers Taiwan its province and threatens to use military force to seize it. In contrast, Taiwan positions itself as a separate state with its own constitution and democratically elected leaders.

A significant escalation in relations was observed following the visit to Taiwan in the summer of 2022 by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She became the first high-ranking American politician to visit the island in the last 25 years. On 26 December 2022, the largest violation of airspace was recorded in Taiwan: within a day, 71 aircraft of the Chinese Air Force, including fighter jets and drones, entered the air defence identification zone.

Since then, pressure from Beijing has persisted. The Chinese army conducted military exercises off the coast of Taiwan during the Chinese New Year celebrations. In addition, on 17 January, a PRC reconnaissance drone penetrated Taiwan's airspace for the first time near the Pratas Islands. The constant presence of troops and demonstrative training serves as a tool of pressure on Taiwanese people with the aim of forcing them to agree to the establishment of Beijing's control over the democratically governed island.