Xi Jinping says Taiwan 'reunification' must happen, Taiwan rejects remarks
Xi said Beijing remains committed to peaceful reunification and is willing to engage in dialogue with people from different sectors in Taiwan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping declared during a speech in Beijing on November 12 that China's reunification with Taiwan is inevitable and must occur, asserting that the tide of history cannot be halted. He emphasized that achieving complete reunification is an unwavering historical mission for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and stressed Beijing's commitment to peaceful reunification under the "one country, two systems" framework.
Xi invited discussions with Taiwanese individuals from various sectors, provided they accept the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus. This consensus, reached between Beijing and Taipei in 1992, refers to an understanding of China's role in Taiwan's affairs. Xi also stated that Beijing would carefully consider Taiwan's circumstances and the interests and feelings of Taiwanese people, but would not allow activities promoting Taiwanese independence.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) of Taiwan rejected Xi's remarks, urging Beijing to acknowledge the Republic of China (ROC) as the official name of Taiwan and respect its democratic way of life. The MAC maintained that Taiwan's future should be determined by its 23 million people, and MAC deputy head Liang Wen-chieh noted that Xi's statements on reunification echoed Beijing's previous positions.
Xi paid tribute to Sun Yat-sen, a significant historical figure in both China and Taiwan, portraying the CCP as the successor to Sun's revolutionary aspirations and linking the goal of national reunification to China's national rejuvenation. The remarks were made ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting in Shenzhen, China, from November 18 to 19, 2026.
President Donald Trump of the United States expected to meet with Xi at the summit. Beijing strongly opposes any formal Taiwanese independence moves or external support for it, while Washington insists that resolving the cross-strait issue must occur peacefully, without coercion or unilateral changes to the status quo by either side.
Written by urgent.news from Mothership's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
