- Chinese President Xi Jinping said that “unification” with Taiwan should be “done” as tensions around the island persist.
Xi said reunification should be achieved peacefully but warned that the Chinese people have a “noble tradition” of opposing separatism. In response, Taiwan said its future is in the hands of its people. Taiwan is considered a sovereign state, while China considers it a breakaway province.
Xi’s intervention comes after China sent a record number of military aircraft to Taiwan’s air defense zone in recent days. Some analysts said the flight could be seen as a warning to Taiwan’s president ahead of the island’s national day on Sunday. Taiwan’s defense minister said tensions with China were the worst in 40 years.
Declarator: What is behind the split between China and Taiwan?
But Xi’s remarks on Saturday were more conciliatory than his last primary intervention against Taiwan in July. Which he vowed to “crush” any attempt at Taiwan’s official independence. Speaking at an event Tensions Between China And Taiwan marking the 110th anniversary of the revolution that toppled China’s last imperial dynasty in 1911. He said that “peaceful” reunification would be “aligned with the common interests of the Chinese nation, including compatriot Taiwan.”
But he added, “No one should underestimate China’s determination, will, and ability to defend the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Chinese people.” The historic task Tensions Between China And Taiwan of full unification of the homeland must be carried out, and it will be done he said. Xi said he wanted unification based on the principle of “one country, two systems,” similar to that in Hong Kong. Which is part of China but has a certain degree of autonomy.
Taiwan’s presidential office said public opinion was obvious and opposed one country, two systems. In a separate statement, the Taiwan Mainland Council called on China to refrain from “provocative measures of invasion, harassment, and destruction.”
Before Xi spoke in Beijing, Taiwan’s Prime Minister Su Zeng-chang accused China of “stretching its muscles” and creating tension.
Why do China and Taiwan have such a bad relationship? China and Taiwan were divided during a civil war in the 1940s, but Beijing pushed for the island to be rebuilt at some point, by force if necessary. How is Taiwan regulated? The island has its constitution, democratically elected leaders, and about 300,000 active soldiers in its armed forces. Who recognizes Taiwan? Several countries recognize Taiwan. Most acknowledge even the Chinese government in Beijing.
Despite recently heightened tensions, Sino-Taiwan relations had not deteriorated to the level of 1996. When China tried to disrupt the presidential election with missile tests, and the United States sent an aircraft carrier to the region to deter them. And while several Western countries have raised concerns about China’s military capabilities. US President Joe Biden said Xi had agreed to abide by the “Taiwan Agreement.”
Biden appears to be referring to Washington’s old one-China policy, which recognizes China, not Taiwan.
However, this agreement allows Washington to maintain “stable informal” relations with Taiwan. The United States sells arms to Taiwan with Washington under the Taiwan Relations Act. In an interview with this week, US Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States would “stand up and speak out about any action that could undermine “peace and stability” in the strait.