In his New Year's address, Chinese President Xi Jinping made it clear that the reunification of China with Taiwan is inevitable, just weeks before the self-ruled island holds its presidential and parliamentary elections. Xi emphasized that "the reunification of the motherland is a historical inevitability" and that "China will surely be reunified." He also called for all Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This statement comes amidst increasing tensions between China and Taiwan, with Beijing ramping up its rhetoric and military pressure on the island.

The Chinese government considers Taiwan as its "sacred territory" and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control. The upcoming elections in Taiwan feature a tight race between the ruling Democratic Party candidate, Lai Ching-te, who supports more independence-leaning policies, and Hou Yu-ih from the opposition Kuomintang, which historically favors closer ties with China. Both candidates have attempted to emphasize peaceful relations with Beijing during the campaign.

Xi's remarks have been met with strong opposition from Taiwan, with the ruling Democratic Party stating that only the people of Taiwan can decide their future, and Lai Ching-te emphasizing that the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. The KMT's candidate, Hou Yu-ih, has also denied being pro-Beijing, despite favoring close ties with China. Overall, Xi Jinping's strong language regarding the inevitability of reunification and the upcoming elections in Taiwan indicate that tensions between China and Taiwan are likely to remain a prominent issue in the near future.