China ‘must be, will be’ reunified with Taiwan: Xi Jinping

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ President Xi Jinping on Wednesday said China must be and will be reunified with Taiwan, and called for the two rivals to work together to realise the “historic task” of complete reunification.

“It is a historical conclusion drawn over 70 years of development of cross-strait relations, and a must for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in the new era,” Xi as saying in a speech at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People to commemorate the 40th anniversary of “Message to Compatriots in Taiwan”.

The Message was a policy document issued by the National People’s Congress — China’s Parliament — on January 1, 1979, the same day China and the US formally established relations after Washington broke ties with Taiwan.

Up until 1979, China had conducted routine artillery bombardment of Taiwan-controlled offshore islands. But no peace treaty or formal end to hostilities has been signed since the detente, even as business, cultural and personal links flourished.  In his speech, Xi sent a warning to advocates of Taiwan’s independence, including supporters of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.