'No 1 can stop China-Taiwan reunification': Jinping's New Year warning
What's the story
Chinese President Xi Jinping has made a strong statement in his New Year's speech, saying that no force can stop China's "reunification" with Taiwan.
The address, aired on state-run CCTV, was directed at perceived pro-independence elements in Taiwan and abroad.
The statement comes as China has stepped up military activity near the island over the past year, frequently sending warships and aircraft into its waters and airspace.
Counterclaim
Taiwan's response to China's reunification claims
In his speech, Xi also emphasized the family ties across the Taiwan Strait, saying, "The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family."
Taiwan, a democratically governed territory, is viewed by China as a part of its territory.
However, Taiwan's government contests this claim, maintaining that only its citizens can decide their future.
They have urged Beijing to respect this decision.
Escalating conflict
Rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait
Tensions have been escalating in the Taiwan Strait, especially since Lai Ching-te took office in May. Beijing considers Lai a "separatist."
Earlier this month, China mobilized naval forces around Taiwan after Lai's stopovers in Hawaii and Guam during a Pacific trip that drew Beijing's ire.
China, which has not ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, held two rounds of war games surrounding the island in 2024, claiming they were warnings against "separatist acts."
Diplomatic tension
US-China relations strained over Taiwan
US arms sales to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act have further strained relations between the United States and China.
President Joe Biden has stated that the US will support Taiwan militarily, breaking from a policy known as strategic ambiguity.
The island has long been one of the most contentious issues in US-China ties. In 2022, following US Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, China retaliated with an extraordinary show of force, conducting military maneuvers surrounding Taiwan.