China's emphasis on Beijing's sovereignty over Taipei

Addressing senior Communist Party officials, Xi Jinping said: "The motherland must be reunited, and it will inevitably be reunited." He added: "China should deepen integration between the two sides, promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and make every effort to stop anyone who wants to separate Taiwan from China." China believes that Taiwan's elections are China's internal affairs and that the island's people face a choice between war and peace. Over the past year and a half, China has conducted two rounds of large-scale exercises around Taiwan and regularly moves warships and fighter jets across the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese government has repeatedly condemned the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's leading candidate for Taiwan's next government, Lai Ching-te (Ching-teh), for seeking independence. Taiwan's presidential and parliamentary elections are due on Jan. 13, and how the island manages its relationship with China is a major campaign issue. Beijing considers Taiwan an integral part of “one China” and reacts strongly to any move toward secession of the Chinese island. Officials in Beijing have repeatedly warned against any provocative actions by foreign countries (especially the United States) to encourage Taiwan to break away from China.