The address, delivered at the Great Hall of the People, framed resolving the Taiwan issue as an unwavering historical mission for the Chinese Communist Party. Meanwhile, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te maintains that the island's future must solely be decided by its own people, firmly rebuffing Beijing's claims. Despite Xi's pledge to seek a peaceful resolution, China continues to run daily military operations around the island while expanding its footprint into the Pacific. The political friction is further amplified by rival interpretations of Sun Yat-sen's historical legacy, which Taiwan argues Beijing actively distorts.
Key points
Xi Jinping framed the absorption of Taiwan as an inevitable historical mission to be purs…: Xi Jinping framed the absorption of Taiwan as an inevitable historical mission to be pursued under the one-China principle.
Taiwan's leadership firmly rejects Beijing's territorial sovereignty claims and its propo…: Taiwan's leadership firmly rejects Beijing's territorial sovereignty claims and its proposed one country, two systems governance model.
Beijing refuses to hold discussions with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, whom Chinese offi…: Beijing refuses to hold discussions with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, whom Chinese officials have officially labeled a separatist.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Resolving the Taiwan question is an "unwavering historical mission" of China's Communist Party, said Chinese President Xi Jinping.
BEIJING: The tide of history cannot be stopped, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday (Nov 12), as he urged complete "reunification" of Taiwan with the motherland and pledged to do so peacefully, making no mention of the use of force.
China views 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.
Resolving the Taiwan question is an "unwavering historical mission" of China's Communist Party, Xi said in a speech in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.
"The tide of history cannot be stopped," Xi added. "The complete reunification of the motherland must be realised, and it will certainly be realised."
Xi's comments came in a speech on the 160th birthday of revolutionary hero Sun Yat-sen who helped lead a 1911 revolt that ended centuries of rule by emperors and empresses and ushered in the Republic of China.
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