This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/02/all-necessary-means-xi-jinping-reserves-right-to-use-force-against-taiwan
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| 'All necessary means': Xi Jinping reserves right to use force against Taiwan | 'All necessary means': Xi Jinping reserves right to use force against Taiwan |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Taiwan independence would lead to “disaster”, Chinese president Xi Jinping has said, pledging efforts for peaceful “reunification” with the self-ruled island but warning China would not renounce the use of force. | |
| Speaking at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on the 40th anniversary of a key Taiwan policy statement, Xi said reunification must come under a one-China principle that accepts Taiwan as part of China, anathema to supporters of Taiwan independence. | Speaking at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on the 40th anniversary of a key Taiwan policy statement, Xi said reunification must come under a one-China principle that accepts Taiwan as part of China, anathema to supporters of Taiwan independence. |
| Taiwan votes down same-sex marriage as China welcomes midterm results | Taiwan votes down same-sex marriage as China welcomes midterm results |
| All people in Taiwan must “clearly recognise that Taiwan independence would only bring profound disaster to Taiwan”, Xi said. | All people in Taiwan must “clearly recognise that Taiwan independence would only bring profound disaster to Taiwan”, Xi said. |
| “We are willing to create broad space for peaceful reunification, but will leave no room for any form of separatist activities,” he said. | “We are willing to create broad space for peaceful reunification, but will leave no room for any form of separatist activities,” he said. |
| “We make no promise to renounce the use of force and reserve the option of taking all necessary means,” he said, adding that the issue is China’s internal affair and that it would permit “no external interference”. | “We make no promise to renounce the use of force and reserve the option of taking all necessary means,” he said, adding that the issue is China’s internal affair and that it would permit “no external interference”. |
| Taiwan is China’s most sensitive issue and is claimed by Beijing as its sacred territory. Xi has stepped up pressure on the democratically governed island since Tsai Ing-wen from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive party became president in 2016. | |
| There was no immediate reaction from Taiwan’s government. | |
| Xi reiterated that China was willing to talk with any party in Taiwan to push the political process – stalled by China since Tsai took office – as long as they accepted the “one China” principle. | |
| He sought to reassure people in Taiwan that there was nothing to fear from Chinese rule, even though most people there had shown no interest in being run by autocratic Beijing. | |
| Markets dive as China manufacturing weakens in bleak start to 2019 | |
| “After peaceful reunification, Taiwan will have lasting peace and the people will enjoy good and prosperous lives. With the great motherland’s support, Taiwan compatriots’ welfare will be even better, their development space will be even greater,” Xi said. | |
| Tsai, who says she wants to maintain the status quo with China, said on Tuesday China must use peaceful means to resolve its differences with Taiwan and respect its democratic values. | |
| Beijing has regularly sent military aircraft and ships to circle the island on drills in the past few years and has heaped pressure on the island internationally, including whittling down its few remaining diplomatic allies. | |
| Taiwan, where Chinese Nationalist forces fled in December of 1949 after losing a civil war to the Communists, is gearing up for presidential elections in a year. Tsai’s party suffered stinging losses to the China-friendly Kuomintang in mayoral and local elections in November. | |
| Taiwan | Taiwan |
| China | China |
| Xi Jinping | Xi Jinping |
| Asia Pacific | Asia Pacific |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |