Not long ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) met with Cheng Li-wun, Chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT), marking the first meeting between the leaders of the CPC and the KMT in a decade.
General Secretary Xi put forward four points on advancing cross-Strait relations under the new circumstances: fostering a heart-to-heart connection on the basis of correct identity; safeguarding the common homeland through peaceful development; improving public well-being through exchanges and closer ties; and striving together for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. These four points provide guidance for cross-Strait relations from the dimensions of identity, peace, integration, and rejuvenation, which have resonated strongly among sons and daughters of the Chinese nation at home and abroad, and have produced a far-reaching impact both across the Taiwan Strait and in the international community.
Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China. Taiwan has been a part of China since ancient times. This statement has a sound basis in history and jurisprudence. Archaeological discoveries and historical documents attest to the profound historical and cultural ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Starting from the Song and Yuan dynasties, the imperial central governments of China all set up administrative bodies to exercise jurisdiction over Penghu and Taiwan. Taiwan’s return to China was a victorious outcome of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World War II.
A series of international legal instruments, such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, have long ago confirmed China’s sovereignty over Taiwan. U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758, together with international diplomatic practice, has cemented the global pattern whereby the international community generally upholds the one-China principle. Taiwan has never been a country, nor will it ever be.
Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all Chinese. They belong to the same Chinese nation, share the same roots and origins, the same culture and ethnicity. They are bound together by blood and form a community with a shared future. They have written the splendid history of China together, forging the common conviction that China’s territory must not be divided, the country must not be thrown into chaos, the nation must not become fragmented, and civilization heritage must not be severed.
In 2025, cross-Strait personnel exchanges grew by 23.6%, approaching 5.45 million visits. This fully demonstrates the natural affection and national identity shared by compatriots on both sides, who are bound by blood and always stand by each other. Issues between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are domestic affairs between compatriots within the same family. When family members get along, as long as they talk to each other in good faith and discuss matters properly, any differences can be settled. Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have sufficient wisdom and ability to properly handle their own issues.
People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are family members, who naturally wish each other well. General Secretary Xi Jinping stated that the mainland has majestic landscapes and a vast market. Taiwan compatriots are welcome to return home more often.
Taiwan youth may come to the mainland for exchanges and career development. Taiwan’s agricultural and fishery products, as well as other high-quality goods, would be popular with millions of mainland households. The Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee has released a package of 10 measures to promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, covering party-to-party dialogue, youth exchanges, livelihood connectivity, economic and trade integration, cultural cooperation, and other fields.
These measures fully demonstrate the mainland’s sincerity and goodwill in promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and improving the well-being of compatriots on both sides. We welcome all propositions that are conducive to the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and we will do our best to advance all endeavors that serve this purpose.
The trend of history is unstoppable, and reunification is the only viable path. The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair and is at the core of China’s core interests—a red line that must not be crossed or trampled on.
"Taiwan independence forces” are the chief culprits undermining peace across the Taiwan Strait, whom we would never condone or tolerate. The attempts by certain countries to distort, fudge and hollow out the one-China principle and to internationalize the Taiwan question are doomed to failure. A latest poll in Taiwan shows that more than half of respondents believe they should proactively address and discuss cross-Strait reunification. Nearly 70% of the public supports strengthening cross-Strait contact and interaction to maintain peace and stability.
No matter how the international landscape and the situation across the Taiwan Strait may evolve, the overarching trend toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will not change, nor will the prevailing momentum bring the Chinese on both sides of the Strait closer together. This is the iron law of history, and we have full confidence in it.
China and Türkiye are both peace-loving countries. The two sides have developed shared values in the struggle against imperialism, colonialism, and hegemonism, as well as in our efforts to achieve development and revitalization amid a complex and changing international landscape. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 55 years ago, Türkiye has consistently abided by the one-China principle and firmly supported China’s just position on multilateral platforms, including the United Nations, which China highly appreciates.
As the blueprint of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan unfolds, China will continue to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advance the cause of national reunification. Türkiye, for its part, is also making every effort to advance the process toward a terror-free and prosperous Türkiye. China stands ready to work with Türkiye to grasp the trend of history, support each other in our commitment to national unity and rejuvenation, and make greater contributions to maintaining and promoting regional peace and development.