Chinese President Xi Jinping declared on Tuesday that “no one can stop” the reunification of Taiwan with mainland China. His remarks were part of a New Year’s speech broadcast across state media.
Beijing considers Taiwan a part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve unification. In recent years, China has escalated pressure on the self-governed island, particularly through military actions. Since Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te took office in May, Beijing has conducted three significant rounds of military drills, with the most recent being the largest in years, according to Taiwanese authorities. However, Beijing has not officially confirmed these exercises.
“People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one family. Our blood ties cannot be severed, and no one can halt the historical trend toward the reunification of the motherland,” Xi stated.
Xi’s comments come at a pivotal time, just weeks before the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Taiwan remains a critical flashpoint in U.S.-China relations. While the United States does not formally recognize Taiwan diplomatically, it is Taiwan’s key strategic ally and leading arms supplier.
Tensions between Washington and Beijing could escalate further after Trump’s inauguration on January 20, as the incoming president has pledged to impose tariffs on China for what he describes as unfair trade practices.
