The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

China’s Xi vows peaceful ‘unification’ with Taiwan, days after sending a surge of warplanes near the island

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October 9, 2021 at 8:14 a.m. EDT
After a week of tensions, Chinese President Xi Jinping did not directly address international concerns over use of force in his talk about Taiwan on Oct. 9. (Video: Reuters)

China’s President Xi Jinping on Saturday vowed to achieve peaceful “unification” with Taiwan, just days after a record number of Chinese military jets conducted drills close to the island, escalating tensions between the two sides.

“Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should stand on the right side of history and join hands to achieve China’s complete unification,” Xi said.