Xi Jinping reiterates push for Taiwan reunification in Beijing speech

Chinese President Xi Jinping has reiterated Beijing's push for Taiwan reunification, saying the "complete reunification of the motherland" must and will be achieved. He made the remarks in Beijing at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday, speaking on the 160th birthday of Sun Yat-sen. Xi framed the issue as a central national task and urged peaceful reunification under China's preferred framework.

Xi said the "tide of history cannot be stopped" and described resolving the Taiwan question as an "unwavering historical mission" of the Communist Party. He said China adheres to peaceful reunification and the "one country, two systems" policy, and said Beijing was willing to talk to Taiwan while upholding the "one China principle". He also called on people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to oppose Taiwan independence forces and work toward peaceful development of cross-strait ties.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council rejected the model, saying neither the government nor the public could accept "one country, two systems". A council spokesperson said the wording on Taiwan unification was not much different from previous statements. The remarks came as Taiwan continues to reject Beijing's sovereignty claim over the island, which is governed separately and has its own elected authorities.

The speech matters because Taiwan remains one of the most sensitive issues in China's foreign and security policy. Beijing has repeatedly presented reunification as a long-term objective, while Taiwan's authorities have consistently opposed any arrangement that would place the island under Communist Party rule. The issue also carries wider regional significance because it affects relations across the Taiwan Strait and the strategic balance in the western Pacific.

The timing of the speech adds to its significance. It came on the anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's birth, a symbolic date in Chinese political history, and just ahead of the APEC summit in China's southern tech hub of Shenzhen. Xi's comments also followed a period in which China's military has continued to operate around Taiwan on a daily basis, according to the report.

Taiwan's defence ministry said it detected 29 Chinese military aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets and drones, carrying out a joint combat readiness patrol around the island with Chinese warships starting on Thursday. What remains unclear is whether the speech signals any change in policy or timing, or whether it is mainly a restatement of Beijing's long-held position. Xi did not mention the use of force, although China has never renounced it in relation to Taiwan.

The next developments to watch are any response from Taipei, any further military activity around the island, and whether the issue features in diplomatic discussions around the upcoming APEC meeting.

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