Taiwan Straits tensions escalated on Thursday as Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that reunification is an unstoppable historical mission during a speech in Beijing reported by CNBC Indonesia.
Xi Jinping Speech in Beijing
President Xi Jinping spoke at the Great Hall of Beijing on Thursday, November 12, 2026, marking the 160th anniversary of revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen. Xi said that the Communist Party of China views solving the Taiwan issue as an unshakable historical mission.
“The current of history cannot be stopped,” Xi said. “The reunification of the motherland fully must be realized, and it will surely be realized.”
Xi maintained that Beijing adheres to peaceful reunification and the “one country, two systems” framework. He expressed willingness to hold talks with Taiwan on the basis of upholding the “one China” principle.
Taipei Rejects Reunification Push
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Board rejected the latest unification push, stating that the public cannot accept the “one country, two systems” model because it subordinates Taiwan to authoritarian rule, CNBC Indonesia reported.
“Regarding the phrasing about the unification of Taiwan, it is not much different from the past,” said Liang Wen-chieh, spokesperson for the Mainland Affairs Board.
Taiwanese authorities previously urged citizens in October to avoid events organized by China to mark Sun Yat-sen’s birth anniversary. Taipei accused Beijing of distorting the legacy of Sun, whom Taiwan regards as “bapak bangsa”.
Chinese military aircraft conduct patrols near Taiwan
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense detected 29 Chinese military aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets and drones, operating near the island alongside warships starting on Thursday, November 12, 2026. These units conducted joint combat readiness patrols while Beijing expanded operations into the Pacific.
President Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party maintain a separate identity for Taiwan. Beijing labels Lai a separatist and refuses dialogue with him.
Why Xi Jinping delivered his speech and detected aircraft
Why did Xi Jinping deliver his speech on Thursday, November 12, 2026?
Xi delivered the address in Beijing to mark the 160th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen, the revolutionary leader who led the 1911 uprising that ended imperial rule.
How many Chinese military aircraft were detected near Taiwan?
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense detected 29 military aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets and drones, conducting joint combat readiness patrols with warships starting on Thursday, November 12, 2026.
What is Taiwan’s official stance on Beijing’s autonomy model?
The Mainland Affairs Board said that the public cannot accept the “one country, two systems” framework because it aims to place Taiwan under the authority of the Chinese Communist Party.
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