China’s Xi says ‘reunification’ with Taiwan ‘unstoppable’

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to make China and Taiwan’s “reunification,” as well as calling Beijing’s long-achieved goal “unstoppable.”

On Wednesday, Xi invoked the “bond of blood and kinship” between Chinese citizens on both sides of the Taiwan Strait in a speech delivered the following day China’s military was wrapping up its war games around Taiwan.

Xi remarked, “The reunification of our motherland, a trend of the time, is unstoppable.”

Xi also praised the annual “Taiwan Recovery Day,” which commemorates the end of Japanese imperial rule on the island at the end of World War II, in 2025.

Following two days of live-fire drills that simulated a blockade of the island, Xi’s speech was followed by what officials called a “stern warning” against “separatist” and “external interference” forces.

In terms of area, the drills were the largest ever conducted in Taiwan.

Just days after the United States approved its largest-ever arms package to Taiwan, valued at $11.1 billion, the war games, codenamed “Justice Mission 2025,” were held in the United States.

Taiwan is viewed as a part of its territory by China, which has long pledged to retake control of it using force if necessary.

Taiwan’s government, which is currently in power, maintains that the island is de facto independent, despite the fact that it has, not, informally, declared, andnbsp, independence.

Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-te made the pledge in his Thursday New Year’s Day address to “firmly” uphold national sovereignty and strengthen the island’s defenses.

The international community is closely monitoring Taiwan’s people’s resolve to defend themselves in the face of China’s growing expansionist ambitions, Lai said.

Taiwan is officially recognized by only 11 nations, including Vatican City, while its leaders are elected and have their own military, passport, and currency.

In order to maintain diplomatic ties with Beijing, China demands that other countries do not officially recognize Taipei.

Washington is assisting Taiwan in its defenses under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, despite the US’s official recognition of Taiwan.

Although Washington is Taipei’s main supplier of weapons, the law forbids a direct military response in the event of a Chinese blockade or invasion.

According to opinion polls, Taiwanese are overwhelmingly in favor of the status quo, with much less people in favor of averting a formal unification or independence.

Xi also praised China’s advancements in fields like space and artificial intelligence in his speech on Wednesday.

Through innovation, we sought to energize high-quality development. He claimed that we made a lot of new innovations by integrating science and technology seamlessly with industries.