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The Xi Jinping reunification comments put Taiwan on alert. He insists that the time has come to achieve “peaceful unification” with Taiwan. The Chinese President of the communist government continues to signal that Taiwan will soon be forced to reunite with China.

His latest statements come days after 150 Chinese fighter jets conducted combat drills in the skies above the island. 

Although China’s air force repeatedly sends planes deeper into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) this was the most visible intrusion. And breached not only the ADIZ but the country’s unofficial maritime border.

Taiwan: An independent island

Taiwan is an independent island country that is just across the strait from mainland China.  It has had a democratically elected government, as well as, its own constitution, since 1947.

Since Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party was elected president, there has been a noticeable escalation of the uncertainties in the relationship. All formal talks between Beijing and Taiwan have ceased.

Xi Jinping reunification comments

China's President is increasing his statements about "reunification" with Taiwan. And saying it "must be fulfilled." Tensions over the future of Taiwan are at a boiling point.

 Xi said unification should be achieved peacefully. But he is warning that the Chinese people have a "glorious tradition" of opposing separatism. And Taiwan is further apart from China than it has ever been.

“Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should stand on the right side of history and join hands to achieve China’s complete unification,” Xi said.

“The historic mission of achieving the complete unification of our country must be realized, and can be realized,” he added, speaking at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.

Taiwan responds

China has proposed a formula of “one country, two systems”  that would permit Taiwan a degree of autonomy. But that is conditioned on Taiwan ultimately accepting Chinese unification.  Taiwan has consistently rejected the offer. And the people of the small democracy are maintaining that they will defend their independence.

The Xi Jinping reunification comments are troublesome to the Taiwan government. Taiwan’s defense minister Chiu Kuo-cheng had a press conference on Wednesday. He claims that military tensions with Beijing were at their worst point in more than forty years. Beijing could have the capability to launch a “full-scale” invasion of the island by 2025, Kuo-cheng added.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council called on China to abandon its "provocative steps of intrusion, harassment, and destruction".