Chinese President Xi Jinping declared on Thursday that the course of history cannot be stopped. He called for the complete reunification of Taiwan and pledged to achieve it peacefully, without mentioning the use of force. The statement was made during a speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, marking the 160th anniversary of the birth of revolutionary hero Sun Yat-sen.
Sun helped lead a revolt in 1911 that ended centuries of imperial rule and brought about the Republic of China. He described the Taiwan issue as an unwavering historic mission of the Communist Party of China. “The course of history cannot be stopped.
The complete reunification of the motherland must be realized, and it will certainly be realized,” Xi said. China considers Taiwan, which is democratically governed, to be its own territory, despite Taipei’s strong rejection of this claim. It has consistently offered an autonomy model of “one country, two systems,” which is not supported by any major Taiwanese political party.
Although Xi did not mention the use of force, which China has never ruled out for Taiwan, its military operates around the island every day. It is further expanding its reach in the Pacific. Cross-strait relations remain tense.