Working Together to Realize Rejuvenation
of the Chinese Nation
and Advance China’s Peaceful Reunification

Speech at the Meeting Marking the 40th Anniversary of
the Issuance of the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan
January 2, 2019

Xi Jinping

Comrades, my compatriots, and friends,

　　Today, we are meeting here to solemnly commemorate the 40th anniversary of the issuance of the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. As a new year begins, on behalf of the people on the mainland, I extend sincere greetings and best wishes to our compatriots in Taiwan.

　　It has been 70 years since Taiwan and the mainland were separated. The emergence and evolution of the Taiwan question has, since China entered the modern times, been inextricably interwoven with the history of the Chinese nation. The Opium War of 1840 and ensuing wars of aggression launched by Western powers plunged China into an anguished state of turmoil and foreign threat, with its lands torn apart, and Taiwan fell under foreign occupation that was to last half a century. Wave upon wave, the Chinese people were engaged in an epic struggle to resist foreign invasion, liberate the Chinese nation, and realize the country’s reunification. Our compatriots in Taiwan made a huge contribution to this struggle. In 1945, together with peoples around the world, the Chinese people won victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, a part of the global War against Fascism. Taiwan was thus recovered and returned to China. It was not long, however, before the two sides of the Taiwan Straits fell into a special state of protracted political confrontation due to the civil war in China and the interference of foreign forces.

　　Since 1949, the Communist Party of China, the Chinese government, and the Chinese people have endeavored to pursue the historic mission of resolving the Taiwan question and realizing China’s complete reunification. Working with our compatriots in Taiwan, we have de-escalated tense confrontation across the Taiwan Straits, improved cross-Straits relations, and set out on a path of peaceful development and continually made breakthroughs in cross-Straits relations.

　　Over the past 70 years, we have, responding to the longing of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, ended the absence of contact between the two sides. We have achieved overall direct two-way “three links” (mail, business and transport) and have initiated substantial exchanges, communication, and cooperation between the two sides. Cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation have steadily expanded and grown increasingly closer, and mutual affinity has deepened. Our compatriots in Taiwan have made a major contribution to the mainland’s reform and opening up and they in turn have also shared the mainland’s development opportunities.

　　Over the past 70 years, we have, acting in a spirit of seeking common ground while setting aside differences and on the basis of the one-China principle, enabled the two sides to reach the “1992 Consensus” that “both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China and will work together toward national reunification.” The two sides have thus initiated consultations and negotiation and promoted cross-Straits party-to-party exchanges. We have opened up a path for promoting the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and realized a historic meeting between leaders of both sides, thus elevating cross-Straits political interactions to a new height.

　　Over the past 70 years, we have, keeping in mind the changes over time in the growth of cross-Straits relations, proposed the policy of seeking a peaceful solution to the Taiwan question and the well-conceived concept of “one country, two systems”, and established the fundamental guideline of “peaceful reunification and one country, two systems”. On this basis, we have formulated a fundamental strategy of upholding the principle of “one country, two systems” and promoting national reunification. With this we have responded to the call of our time, namely, to promote, in the new era, the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and unite our compatriots in Taiwan to strive for our country’s rejuvenation and peaceful reunification.

　　Over the past 70 years, we have, holding high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, and on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, forged friendship and strengthened cooperation with other countries and consolidated the international community’s commitment to the one-China principle. More and more countries and people have gained a better understanding of National reunification endeavor and given their support to it.

　　Over the past 70 years, we have, bearing in mind the overall and long-term interests of the Chinese nation, stood firm in safeguarding China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Rallying all the Chinese people around us, we have resolutely defeated all attempts to create “two Chinas,” “one China, one Taiwan,” or “Taiwan independence,” and have achieved major victories in the fight against the separatist activities for “Taiwan independence”.