Xi reiterates that cross-strait unification is inevitable; Taiwan urges Beijing to recognize ROC’s existence
Speaking at a Beijing event marking Sun Yat-sen’s 160th birth anniversary, Xi Jinping advocated peaceful unification and “one country, two systems.” Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council rejected the proposal and said Chinese military aircraft were operating around Taiwan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday reiterated in Beijing that achieving “complete unification” across the Taiwan Strait is an unshakable historic mission of the Chinese Communist Party, saying the trend of history cannot be stopped. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council responded by urging Beijing to face the reality that the Republic of China continues to exist, respect Taiwan’s democratic system and way of life, and recognize that Taiwan’s future should be decided by the people of Taiwan.
Xi made the remarks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during an event marking the 160th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen’s birth. He said China would remain committed to the principles of peaceful unification and “one country, two systems,” and was willing to hold talks with Taiwan on cross-strait relations and unification. At the same time, he said China opposed Taiwan independence.
According to Reuters, Xi said in his speech that complete reunification of the motherland “must happen and will inevitably happen.” He described Sun Yat-sen as an important historical figure who remained committed to national unification, seeking to link the Chinese Communist Party’s political position with Sun’s revolutionary ideals.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said that if the Chinese Communist Party genuinely wanted to commemorate Sun Yat-sen, it should acknowledge that the Republic of China, founded by Sun, continues to exist. The council said the ROC had never been overthrown or replaced, that the two sides are not subordinate to each other, and that the People’s Republic of China has never ruled Taiwan since its establishment in 1949.
The council also reiterated that Taiwan’s government and people cannot accept Beijing’s “one country, two systems” proposal. Taiwan’s future should be jointly decided by its 23 million people under a democratic constitutional system, it said. Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh said Xi’s remarks did not differ significantly from Beijing’s previous position on unification.
Sun Yat-sen holds different political significance in the historical narratives of the two sides. The ROC government regards him as the founding father of the nation, while mainland China describes him as a forerunner of China’s democratic revolution. The Beijing commemorative event once again highlighted the differences between the two sides over history, national identity and political systems.
Notably, as Xi was speaking, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said on Wednesday that it had detected 29 sorties by Chinese military aircraft operating around Taiwan, alongside Chinese warships conducting joint combat-readiness patrols. The activity came as the Shenzhen APEC leaders’ summit and Taiwan’s local elections drew closer, putting cross-strait political and military developments under regional and international scrutiny.