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Tags: china | xij inping | taiwan | joe biden | elections | polls | military

Xi: China, Taiwan Will 'Surely Be Reunified'

By    |   Tuesday, 26 December 2023 07:23 PM EST

Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed again to bring Taiwan under Beijing's control during a speech celebrating the 130th birthday of the late Communist leader Mao Zedong.

"The complete reunification of our motherland is an overall trend, a righteous cause, and the common aspiration of the people," Xi said Tuesday, according to the South China Morning Post. "Our motherland must be reunified, and it will surely be reunified."

Although Beijing has long maintained that Taiwan is part of China, Taipei has functioned as a self-governing island – with its own currency and military – since the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949.

Xi reportedly told President Joe Biden last month that he would prefer to annex the island peacefully to achieve reunification; military force has never been taken off the table, however.

The United States' longstanding "One China" policy acknowledges the communist nation's claim to the island but does not legitimize it.

Biden has repeatedly said the U.S. would take military action if Beijing invades, including in September 2022, when he told CBS' "60 Minutes" America would act "if, in fact, there was an unprecedented attack."

Paradoxically, the White House has repeatedly walked back some suggestions the U.S. would defend Taiwan if it came under attack from China.

With Taiwan set to hold presidential elections on Jan. 13, Western officials have voiced concern the Chinese Communist Party might attempt to interfere.

On Saturday, Taiwan reported spotting Chinese warplanes and warships around the island, including 10 aircraft that crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which once served as an unofficial barrier between the sides.

Taiwan has complained of regular Chinese military patrols and drills for four years near the democratically governed island.

Citing opinion polls, Reuters reported the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's Lai Ching-te, the nation's vice president whom Beijing has criticized as a separatist, is the front-runner to be Taiwan's next president.

The island's main opposition party, the Kuomintang, traditionally supports close ties with Beijing and has pledged to reopen dialog with China if it wins. However, it also said that Taiwan's future will be decided by its people.

Incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen is term-limited and not able to run for reelection.

Nicole Wells

Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.

© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


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Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed again to bring Taiwan under Beijing's control during a speech celebrating the 130th birthday of the late Communist leader Mao Zedong.
china, xij inping, taiwan, joe biden, elections, polls, military, communist
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2023-23-26
Tuesday, 26 December 2023 07:23 PM
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