What did Xi Jinping say about Taiwan reunification in his speech marking Sun Yat-sen’s 160th birthday?

Xi called reunification an unwavering historical mission of the Communist Party and said it must and would be realized. He said China adhered to peaceful reunification and the one country, two systems policy, and was willing to talk with Taiwan on the basis of the one-China principle.

Why did Taiwan urge people to avoid China’s events marking Sun Yat-sen’s anniversary?

Taiwan said China had a distorted view of Sun Yat-sen and his legacy. The article notes that Beijing calls Sun a national hero and patriot, while Taiwan officially regards him as the father of the nation.

How does Taiwan’s view of Sun Yat-sen differ from Beijing’s?

Beijing describes Sun as a great national hero and patriot and as a forerunner of the 1949 communist revolution. Taiwan officially considers him the father of the nation; his portrait hangs in the presidential office, although his Three Principles of the People are no longer required school reading.

China's Xi says Taiwan 'reunification' must happen as history cannot be stopped

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Summary

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for Taiwan’s complete reunification with China in a speech in Beijing on Thursday, saying it should happen peacefully. He described resolving the Taiwan question as an unwavering historical mission of the Communist Party and said the tide of history could not be stopped. Xi spoke at an event marking the 160th birthday of Sun Yat-sen. He urged people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to oppose Taiwan independence and support peaceful development of cross-Strait ties.

Key Facts

Xi said China was willing to talk with Taiwan on the basis of the one-China principle.
Beijing’s proposed one country, two systems model is not supported by any major Taiwanese political party.
Taiwan’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
China’s military operates around Taiwan daily.
Taiwan called on its people last month to avoid China’s events marking the anniversary, saying Beijing had a distorted view of Sun Yat-sen and his legacy.

By Reuters

Published Nov 12, 2026 1:48 pm KST

Chinese President Xi Jinping applauds during a meeting commemorating the 160th birth anniversary of Sun Yat-sen, who overthrew the last imperial dynasty and founded the Republic of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Nov. 12. Reuters-Yonhap

BEIJING — The tide of history cannot be stopped, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday, as he urged complete "reunification" of Taiwan with the motherland and pledged to do so peacefully, making no mention of the use of force.

China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, despite Taipei's strong rejection of that claim, and has repeatedly offered a "one country, two systems" model of autonomy not supported by any major Taiwanese political party.

Resolving the Taiwan question is an "unwavering historical mission" of China's Communist Party, Xi said in a speech in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

"The tide of history cannot be stopped," Xi added. "The complete reunification of the motherland must be realized, and it will certainly be realized."

Xi's comments came in a speech on the 160th birthday of revolutionary hero Sun Yat-sen who helped lead a 1911 revolt that ended centuries of rule by emperors and empresses.

China adheres to "peaceful reunification and the policy of 'one country, two systems'" and is willing to talk to Taiwan on the basis of upholding the "one-China principle", Xi added.

He was referring to Beijing's position that both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one country.

All Chinese, including those in Taiwan, should join hands to jointly oppose Taiwan independence "separatist" forces and strive for peaceful development of cross-Strait ties, Xi added.

Taiwan's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China's military operates around Taiwan on a daily basis.

Last month, Taiwan called on its people to steer clear of any of China's events to mark this year's anniversary, saying China had a distorted view of Sun and his legacy.

Beijing calls Sun a great national hero and patriot, as well as the forerunner of the 1949 communist revolution that forced the defeated Republic of China government to flee to Taiwan, where it remains to this day.

In Taiwan, Sun is officially considered the "father of the nation" and his portrait hangs in the presidential office, though his political philosophy, "Three Principles of the People", is no longer a required text for schoolchildren.

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