China says it is ‘closer than ever’ to reunification with Taiwan

Taiwan says its diplomatic challenges are ‘getting bigger and bigger’

Chinese president Xi Jinping waves at an event to introduce new members of the politburo standing committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing (AP)

China has said it is closer than ever to taking over Taiwan amid concerns Beijing will escalate diplomatic “attacks” on Taipei as Xi Jinping consolidates power.

Doubling down on leaders’ rhetoric over the reunification of mainland China, Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office said the country’s forces are poised to achieve “complete reunification”.

“We’re closer than ever in history – and we’re more confident and capable than ever – to realizing national rejuvenation,” the Chinese government’s spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang said on Wednesday.

“Similarly, we’re also closer than ever in history – as well as more confident and capable – to realizing the complete reunification of the motherland.”

He made the remarks as he answered questions about the wide-ranging policy set out by Mr Xi at the beginning of last week’s Communist Party Congress. It culminated with Mr Xi being awarded a third five-year term, taking full command of the party as well as the military to become the most powerful leader of the country.

The Communist Party named a seven-member ruling standing committee of Mr Xi and his allies, which gives him a free hand to carry out his plans.

Taiwan’s foreign minister Joseph Wu said on Wednesday that China will intensify its attempt to carry out diplomatic isolation of Taiwan by snatching more of the island’s few remaining diplomatic allies.

In a report to parliament, Mr Joseph said: “China is likely to increase its attacks and threats on Taiwan, especially in the diplomatic field.”

“This is what we are worried about.”

He added that the leadership has received “signs” and intelligence from some of their diplomatic allies that China will ramp up efforts to lure away the island’s allies into switching official recognition to Beijing.

“The diplomatic challenges we are facing are getting bigger and bigger,” he said. “Looking forward, our situation is becoming more difficult.”

Six remaining countries that once diplomatically recognised Taiwan have switched to recognising only China, leaving only 14 with official diplomatic ties with the island’s government, including Belize, Honduras, Paraguay, Saint Lucia and Tuvalu.

In his speech on the opening day of the party congress at the vast Great Hall of the People in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, President Xi wasted little time in addressing the Taiwan issue, which analysts say shows he views the dispute as a legacy-cementing topic.

He doubled down on his warning to “external” and “separatist” forces against any kind of interference as he promised that “complete reunification” of Taiwan with mainland China “will be achieved” – a line that drew the loudest and longest round of applause from the audience of some 2,300 delegates.

Mr Xi added “wheels of history are rolling on toward China’s reunification” with Taiwan as he refused to renounce the use of force to unite Taiwan.

“Xi Jinping has made it clear that he has no intention of loosening his grip on the Taiwan issue and the Chinese leader not only reiterated but also doubled down that there would be no negotiation or talks on the issue,” Harsh V Pant, a professor at King’s College London, told The Independent.

“Reunification of China has been a long standing goal of the Chinese Communist Party and any leader who is able to accomplish that would have a great legacy in the party.”