Chinese President Xi Jinping said Sunday it is up to China to resolve ongoing disputes with Taiwan and the right to use force will not be lifted.
“The resolution of the Taiwan issue is up to the Chinese themselves. We insist on fighting for the prospect of peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and greatest effort,” Xi said.
He reiterated China’s stance on the Taiwanese government’s quest for independence, adding that it had criticized “the separatists and their secessionist activities, not Taiwanese compatriots in general.”
Xi also said China has gained sweeping control of Hong Kong for him, shifting the situation in the city “from chaos to governance.”
Taiwan will not relinquish its sovereignty or compromise freedom and democracy, and its people unequivocally reject Beijing’s idea of ”one country, two systems” of governance for Taiwan, the presidential office of the selfgoverning island said on Sunday.
Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the region is a shared responsibility of both sides, and meeting on the battlefield is not an option, Taiwan’s presidential office said in a statement.
The Taiwan President’s Office also asserted that meeting at the front line is not an option.