KABUL: Just one day after an unprecedented military drill around Taiwan, marked by live-fire exercises, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that the reunification of Taiwan with China is inevitable.
Xi made the remarks during his annual New Year’s Eve speech on Wednesday night, where he explicitly stated that Beijing will reclaim Taiwan, emphasizing that the process of reunification is “unstoppable.”
He noted, “The people on both sides of the strait are bonded by blood ties that are thicker than water.”
The Taiwanese government has not yet responded to the new statements from China’s leader.
Xi’s comments come just a day after the Chinese military conducted a two-day exercise around Taiwan, which included live-fire actions involving infantry troops, warships, fighter jets, and simulations of a blockade of Taiwan’s largest port.
Recent U.S. intelligence assessments have indicated that China is planning to attack Taiwan in 2027.