Chinese President Xi Jinping said China would “surely be reunified” with Taiwan during his televised New Year’s address, renewing Beijing’s threats to take over the self-ruled island, which it considers its own.

Taiwan split from China amid civil war in 1949, but Beijing continues to regard the island of 23 million with its high-tech economy as Chinese territory and has been ramping up its threat to achieve that by military force if necessary.

“China will surely be reunified, and all Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose,” Xi said in his annual address, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

China has described Taiwan’s Jan. 13 presidential and parliamentary elections as a choice between war and peace.

  • Flying Squid
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    1411 months ago

    This is not news. This has been China’s policy since 1949. I don’t listen to the New Year’s addresses, but I would be very surprised if this was the first or even one of the first times this has been said during that address.

    • @Pretzilla
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      11 months ago

      I wouldn’t put it past Pooh Bear. He’s been steadily ramping up. Much of the sentiment hinges on how the other dictator Poo(tin) plays out vis-a-vis Ukraine.

      If poo-stinky Trump steals it again, it’s highly likely that will embolden Pooh Bear to make a military move.

      Much in the same way pootin wants to get the ussr back together for sentimental value, pooh bear obviously feels the same.

  • TimLovesTech (AuDHD)(he/him)
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    1011 months ago

    It’ll be 75 years this year, “dude I don’t think they’re that into you!” =(

    At this point unless you’re playing the “look I’m a dictator” angle, why bother? There is also a phrase I think fits this well, “shit or get off the pot”. Also, “don’t call me Shirley”.

  • balderdash
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    -611 months ago

    China senses Americans are tired of the US policing the world. They probably would have tried something sooner if not for the massive economics embargo the West placed on Russia when they invaded Ukraine.

    • @pelerinli
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      111 months ago

      To be honest West didn’t do much. Sending too few weapons but talking big? Seizing money? Not buying energy directly but “have trade” indirectly? Why will China be afraid of all these?

      Let’s face it, China is on new imperialism-speedrun and nobody will stop them because they grabbed all companies and politians by their hair via cheap labor capitalism.