Xi Reaffirms Taiwan Unification Pledge at Sun Yat-sen Anniversary Ceremony

Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed Beijing’s pledge to achieve unification with Taiwan in a speech on Thursday, November 12, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. He was addressing a ceremony marking the 160th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen’s birth. Xi described resolving the Taiwan question and achieving complete national unification as an enduring historical task of the Communist Party. “The tide of history cannot be stopped,” Xi said. He reaffirmed Beijing’s policy of peaceful unification and “one country, two systems,” and said China would leave no room for Taiwan independence activities in any form. He urged people on both sides of the strait and Chinese communities overseas to oppose Taiwan independence forces and work for the peaceful development of cross-strait relations. Xi offered dialogue and consultation with people from different sectors in Taiwan about cross-strait relations and national unification, on the basis of the one-China principle and the “1992 Consensus.” He said Beijing would consider Taiwan’s actual circumstances and the interests and feelings of its people. According to the official ceremony account, Wang Huning chaired the gathering, which was attended by around 3,000 people. Participants included Sun’s relatives, overseas guests and representatives from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi also attended.