In his Tiananmen Square speech founding the PRC, Mao Zedong implied that all territory formerly under ROC control, including Taiwan, would be unified under the communist government.

In multiple speeches and directives, Mao and Zhou Enlai repeatedly and consistently referred to the goal of ‘liberating’ Taiwan. They noted that there are two ways of liberation: by peaceful means and by means of war, tested in the 1954 and 1958 first and second ‘Taiwan Strait crises’.

Under Deng, China shifted from a liberation stance to advocating a negotiated settlement between the KMT and the CCP. PRC Marshal Ye Jianying proposed peaceful unification under a ‘One country, two systems’ framework in 1982.

As part of his ‘Eight-Point Proposal’ on Taiwan, Jiang reiterated the One-China principle, emphasising peaceful reunification, warning against any moves towards Taiwanese independence and anticipating a convergence of development bringing China and Taiwan together.

At the 17th CCP Congress, following a meeting with KMT chairman Lien Chan in 2005, Hu Jintao said that China is ‘ready to have exchanges, dialogue, consultations and negotiations with any political party in Taiwan, as long as it recognises the One-China principle’.

Xi linked Taiwan’s unification to the ‘Chinese Dream’ of national rejuvenation, setting a long-term goal for 2049.

On the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CCP, Xi declared that Taiwan’s fate lies solely with China.

At the 20th Party Congress, Xi stated that China won’t renounce the use of force, although peaceful reunification is preferred.

In his New Year’s address, Xi declared that reunification is inevitable, signalling a firm commitment to bringing Taiwan under Beijing’s control, a statement of the party’s belief in historical determinism and a rejection of compromise with the elected Democratic Progressive Party government of Taiwan.