Shortly after Chinese leader Xi Jinping said Beijing will not renounce the use of force to reunite Taiwan, the island nation responded by saying that it will never compromise on the values of sovereignty, democracy and freedom.
"The national security team is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to pay close attention to subsequent developments," Taiwan presidential office spokesperson Chang Tun-han was quoted as saying by CNN.
"It is the consensus of the Taiwanese public that territorial sovereignty, democracy and freedom cannot be compromised, and military confrontation must not be the option for both sides of the Taiwan Strait," the spokesperson added.
This response comes after Xi today warned Taiwan, saying it would "never promise to renounce the use of force and we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary." "Complete reunification of our country must be realized," he was quoted as saying by CNN.
Delivering a report to the 20th Communist party National Congress in Beijing, Xi defended the military aggression against Taiwan, saying he "safeguarded" the country's "dignity and core interests" for ensuring security.
"In response to separatist activities aimed at Taiwan independence and gross provocations of external interference in Taiwan affairs, we have resolutely fought against separatism and countered interference," state media outlet Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.
At the twice-a-decade party meeting, he said that China has demonstrated their resolve and ability to safeguard "China's sovereignty and to oppose "Taiwan's independence." Regional experts say that Chairman Xi Jinping will undoubtedly extend his term in power for another five years.
He will either be re-elected as general secretary of the CCP or will be newly elected as chairman of the CCP, a title that has lain dormant since 1982 and was once the highest position ever held by Mao Zedong.
The congress is taking place at one of the most perilous periods in international affairs in recent years. A war is raging in Ukraine as President Vladimir Putin attempts to burnish his credentials as a great Russian leader, and China remains a staunch supporter of this would-be tsar.
At the same time, Taiwan Strait tensions are at their highest in decades, as China attempts to pummel Taipei into acquiescence.
