BBC News Top Stories-World Taiwan and China will surely be reunified says Xi in New Years Eve address
January 1, 2024 3 min 490 words
习近平在新年致辞中再次强调台湾必将与中国“必然统一”，并在1月13日的关键选举前加强对台军事压力。这显示了中国对台湾强硬立场的坚持，尤其是在去年强调“同一家庭”的言论之后。中国加大对台军事威胁，试图影响台湾选举，令人担忧。台湾总统蔡英文在新年致辞中强调，与中国的关系应由台湾人民的意愿决定，同时警告北京干涉选举。这凸显了两岸关系的复杂性和紧张局势。习主席言辞强硬，彰显了中国一贯的统一政策，但也加深了与美国的紧张关系。台湾成为地缘政治焦点，对局势的发展保持高度关注。
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his annual New Year's Eve address, reiterated his claim that Taiwan would "surely be reunified" with China.
His message comes ahead of Taiwan's crucial 13 January elections that will determine the island's cross-strait policy for the next four years.
He also struck a stronger tone than last year's message, where he spoke of Taiwan being part of the "same family".
China has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan ahead of the elections.
It sees the self-ruled island of 23 million as a breakaway province that will eventually be under Beijing's control. Taiwan considers itself distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and democratically elected leaders.
Separately, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen said in her New Year's address that the island's relations with China must be decided by the "will of the Taiwanese people". Her government has repeatedly warned that Beijing is trying to interfere in the election, where a new president and government will be chosen.
Taiwan's Kuomintang party (KMT) has traditionally favoured warmer ties with Beijing - though it denies being pro-China. The KMT's main rival, Ms Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has ruled Taiwan for the past eight years and takes a stronger line towards China - insisting it is sovereign and not a part of China.
Mr Xi's latest comments are in line with China's long-standing policy towards unification, but the message struck a more strident tone than the one Mr Xi gave last year, where he called "people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait... members of one and the same family".
The issue of Taiwan has also strained relations between the US and China, with the latter condemning any perceived support from Washington for Taipei. Beijing has said that it "reserves the option of taking all necessary measures" against outside forces that interfere with peaceful unification.
But both countries marked the new year with a positive message, with Mr Xi and US President Joe Biden exchanging congratulatory messages on Monday.
Mr Xi noted that "adhering to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation is the correct way for China and the United States to interact", according to Reuters, which cited Chinese state media outlet CCTV.
- Why do China and Taiwan have poor relations? China sees the self-ruled island as a part of its territory and insists it should be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary. But Taiwan sees itself as distinct from the mainland
- How is Taiwan governed? The island has its own constitution, democratically elected leaders, and about 300,000 active troops in its armed forces
- Who recognises Taiwan? Only a few countries recognise Taiwan. Most recognise the Chinese government in Beijing instead. The US has no official ties with Taiwan but does have a law which requires it to provide the island with the means to defend itself