Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded 2024 with a strong statement on Taiwan, asserting that "no one can stop the reunification" of the island with China.
In his New Year's Eve address, Xi emphasized the shared heritage between the people of China and Taiwan, framing reunification as an inevitable historical trend.
China has long claimed Taiwan as part of its territory and has intensified military activities around the island. This year saw three major rounds of military drills, the largest of which occurred earlier this month, according to Taiwanese officials. These exercises followed Taiwan's May elections, which brought President Lai Ching-te to power, a result Beijing opposed.
China's actions included airspace violations and large-scale naval maneuvers, underscoring its stance of not renouncing the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Beijing has also ramped up diplomatic pressure to further isolate Taiwan from the international community.
In his speech, Xi stressed, "Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family. No one can sever our blood ties, and no one can stop the historical trend of the reunification of the motherland."
Taiwan remains a key point of contention between China and the United States. As a strategic ally of the U.S. in Asia, Taiwan relies on Washington for weapons and support. The U.S., championing democracy, has historically stood against communism, including during the Cold War.
Taiwan and China are separated by the Taiwan Strait, a vital waterway linking the South China Sea and the East China Sea. Taiwan’s modern history as a sovereign entity began after the fall of China’s Qing dynasty in 1912, with the establishment of the Republic of China.
Over the years, China underwent various forms of governance, including military-led and nationalist administrations. The pivotal shift came in 1949 when Communist leader Mao Zedong overthrew the Kuomintang-led nationalist government, forcing its leader Chiang Kai-shek to flee to Taiwan.
Taiwan then became a democratic government in exile, while Mao established the People's Republic of China (PRC). For decades, the United Nations recognised Chiang’s government as the legitimate representative of China until the PRC assumed the UN seat in 1971.
Taiwan operates as a vibrant democracy today, but its international standing is limited due to China's diplomatic pressure. Many countries refrain from formal ties with Taiwan to maintain relations with Beijing, which continues to assert its claim over the island.