Headline Roundup • January 2nd, 2024
Xi Says China Reunification Inevitable Ahead of Taiwan Elections
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Chinese President Xi Jinping said Taiwan “will surely be reunified” with mainland China in a New Year’s speech, once again raising concerns of potential conflict over the democratic island.
Key Quote: “China will surely be reunified, and all Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” Xi said, according to the official English translation. According to translations by some outlets, Xi actually said reunification was a “historical inevitability.”
For Context: President Joe Biden has said the U.S. military would defend Taiwan militarily if China tried to take it by force. Xi reportedly told Biden at their meeting in November that China would reunify Taiwan with the mainland, preferably peacefully, but that the timing had not been decided.
Upcoming Elections: Some have accused China of interfering ahead of Taiwan’s January 13 presidential and parliamentary elections. Disagreements over Chinese relations have reportedly led to a contentious campaign. The Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan’s largest opposition party, has accused the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of risking conflict by pursuing formal independence. Meanwhile, the DPP has accused the KMT of parroting China’s rhetoric, arguing that the Chinese Communist Party is to blame for the current tensions.
How the Media Covered It: Coverage was generally limited to globally-focused outlets. Reuters (Center bias) placed the word “reunification” in quotes, potentially questioning the idea that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images
In an ominous start to 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year's address that "reunification" with Taiwan is inevitable — a stronger tone than he used last year.
Why it matters: Beijing claims the self-governing island and its recent military exercises and build-up have raised alarms over a potential invasion. With President Biden vowing to defend Taiwan, that scenario could lead to a superpower confrontation.
What he's saying: "The reunification of the motherland is a historical inevitability," Xi said.
The official English translation used a simpler phrase: "China will surely be reunified."
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Florence Lo - Pool/Getty Images
Chinese leader Xi Jinping promised the reunification of Taiwan with mainland China during his year-end address on Sunday.
Tensions between China and Taiwan remain high, and Taiwanese voters are set to participate in the island's elections on Jan. 13. Xi has repeatedly affirmed China's stance that Taiwan is a part of China and that it must be reunified, by force if necessary.
"All Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,"...
China's "reunification" with Taiwan is inevitable, President Xi Jinping said in his New Year's address on Sunday, striking a stronger tone than he did last year with less than two weeks to go before the Chinese-claimed island elects a new leader.
The Jan. 13 presidential and parliamentary elections are happening at a time of fraught relations between Beijing and Taipei. China has been ramping up military pressure to assert its sovereignty claims over democratically governed Taiwan.
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