China’s President Xi Jinping vows no tolerance on separatism, urges unity

Chinese President Xi Jinping gives a speech at the Great Hall of the People, marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of former president Sun Yat-sen, in Beijing, November 11, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

President Xi Jinping of China has made a strong call for unity among all Chinese people and vowed zero tolerance for any separatist movement.

“We will never allow any person, any group, any political party, at any time, in any way, to split from any part of China’s territory,” Xi said at an event in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People to mark 150 years since the birth of China’s first president, Sun Yat-Sen, who is viewed as the founder of a united nation.

The Chinese president also vowed to defend the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“To uphold our national sovereignty and territorial integrity, to never let our country split again and to never let history repeat itself — these are our solemn promises to our people and to our history,” he said.

He also called for unity among all Chinese people. He urged people in China and Taiwan, as well as the ethnic Chinese around the world, to oppose independence for Taiwan.

The president also called on Taiwan’s leaders to endorse the principle that the island and mainland China are parts of a single Chinese nation.

“Any Taiwanese political party, organization or individual — regardless of what they have advocated for in the past — as long as they recognize the ‘1992 consensus,’ as long as they recognize the mainland and Taiwan are one China, we are willing to associate with them,” he said.

Under an agreement reached in 1992 between Beijing and Taipei, both sides acknowledged the existence of a single Chinese nation, which is comprised of both Taiwan and the mainland.

Taiwan’s new President Tsai Ing-wen, who was elected in January and known as a Beijing-skeptic politician, has neither endorsed nor repudiated the one-nation concept.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (C) bows before her speech during National Day celebrations in Taipei, October 10, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office reaffirmed in early October that Beijing would oppose any steps toward Taiwanese independence.

The two have had no formal diplomatic relations since they divided politically following the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1950.

Ties improved, however, under the government of former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou, who embraced the One-China concept.

China and Taiwan are physically separated by the Taiwan Strait in the Western Pacific Ocean.