Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that the tide of history cannot be stopped, while urging peaceful "reunification" with Taiwan. Speaking at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on the 160th birthday of revolutionary hero Sun Yat-sen, Xi called resolving the Taiwan question an "unwavering historical mission" of the Communist Party of China. China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, despite Taipei's strong rejection of that claim, and has repeatedly offered a "one country, two systems" model of autonomy not supported by any major Taiwanese political party.
Key Takeaways: Xi declared that "the complete reunification of the motherland must be realised, and it will certainly be realised." Taiwan's government dismissed the remarks, saying neither the government nor the people of Taiwan could accept "one country, two systems." China's military conducted another "joint combat readiness patrol" around Taiwan with 29 aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets and drones.
The speech came ahead of the APEC summit in Shenzhen next week, where Xi is due to meet US regime President Donald Trump, and just over two weeks before important local elections in Taiwan. In September, Xi made a state visit to Washington, where he told Trump to show "prudence" over Taiwan and urged the US to oppose the island's independence. The US regime had already paused a $14bn weapons purchase by Taiwan in May, with Trump allegedly calling it a "very good negotiating chip" in dealings with China — a move that raised fears Taiwan's security could be traded away.
Xi said China adheres to "peaceful reunification and the policy of 'one country, two systems'" and is willing to talk to Taiwan while upholding the "one China principle." All Chinese, including those in Taiwan, should join hands to oppose Taiwan independence "separatist" forces and strive for peaceful development of cross-Strait ties, he added. A spokesperson for Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, Liang Wen-chieh, told reporters: "As for the wording on Taiwan unification, it isn't much different from the past." The council said neither the government nor Taiwan's people could accept "one country, two systems," which would ultimately mean submitting to the Communist Party's rule.
Taiwan's defence ministry said it had detected 29 Chinese military aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets and drones, carrying out a "joint combat readiness patrol" around Taiwan in conjunction with Chinese warships starting on Thursday. Although Xi did not mention the use of force, which China has never renounced for Taiwan, China's military operates around the island on a daily basis and is extending its reach further into the Pacific. The upcoming APEC meeting and Taiwan's local elections are expected to shape the next phase of cross-Strait tensions.
Source: www.aljazeera.com