The Taiwan question lies at the very core of China’s national interests and constitutes the political foundation of China-U.S. relations. As Chinese President Xi Jinping said on May 14 when holding talks with visiting U.S. President Donald Trump, safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits is the biggest common denominator between China and the U.S.

As the international landscape undergoes profound changes unseen in a century, the objective conditions for national reunification are becoming increasingly mature, and the historical momentum is ever more evident. Reunification embodies the collective will of the Chinese nation and represents an irreversible trend of history. The manner and timing of reunification are matters that fall entirely within China’s sovereign domain and cannot be determined by external actors.

The Communiqué of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, issued in October 2025, explicitly called for promoting the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and advancing the historic cause of national reunification.

This year’s government work report, released in early March, has explicitly strengthened the Central Government’s stance toward separatist forces, declaring that “we will resolutely fight against separatist forces seeking ‘Taiwan independence,’” replacing last year’s milder formulation of “opposing” such elements.

The United States has repeatedly made miscalculations regarding the Taiwan question. Each misjudgment has inadvertently created new opportunities for China to consolidate the conditions necessary for national reunification.

But recent developments in U.S. strategic discourse have reflected subtle yet notable adjustments. More symbolically, the National Defense Strategy issued in January by the U.S. Department of War, an authoritative document outlining American strategic priorities, makes no mention of Taiwan for the first time. This adjustment reflects a growing awareness among segments of the U.S. political and military establishment that any reckless attempt to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Straits would face insurmountable risks in the face of China’s firm determination and steadily strengthening capabilities.

Historical memory and cultural affinity further reinforce this trajectory. In the previous year, large-scale commemorative events marked the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s restoration to China following the end of Japanese occupation that began in 1894. Meanwhile, television dramas produced in the Chinese mainland have attracted large audiences in Taiwan, while digital platforms such as Douyin exert considerable cultural influence. These phenomena reflect the enduring cultural bonds and shared heritage linking compatriots on both sides of the Straits.

Cross-Straits reunification will materialize when historical conditions fully converge. As long as compatriots on both sides of the Straits follow the broader currents of history and work collectively toward national rejuvenation, reunification will proceed in a steady and orderly manner. There is no necessity to resort to radical or destabilizing approaches. Regardless of fluctuations in U.S. policy or changes in political leadership in Washington, the fundamental trajectory toward China’s national reunification remains unchanged.

In an evolving international environment, China continues to pursue a development path centered on peace, cooperation and mutual benefit. It consistently upholds the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, and advocates the peaceful settlement of international disputes.

As two major countries, China and the United States possess both the responsibility and the capacity to manage their differences while expanding areas of cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, thereby serving the shared interests of their peoples and the broader international community.

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

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