NewzVille International
In a New Year’s address delivered a day after the Chinese military concluded war games around Taiwan, Chinese President Xi Jinping said,”I attended the opening ceremony of the National Games, and I was glad to see Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao coming together in unity and acting in unison. We should unswervingly implement the policy of One Country, Two Systems, and support Hong Kong and Macao in better integrating into the overall development of our country and maintaining long-term prosperity and stability.”
“We Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share a bond of blood and kinship. The reunification of our motherland, a trend of the times, is unstoppable,” he added.
Meanwhile, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said the island is determined to defend its sovereignty and strengthen its defence amid China’s increasing expansion, after Beijing fired rockets towards Taiwan as part of the drills.
Lai highlighted the need to boost defence procurement and urged opposition parties to support his proposal to increase Taiwan’s defence spending by 40 billion US dollars, which is currently stalled in the opposition-controlled parliament due to political deadlock.
Taiwan’s president also expressed willingness to engage in exchanges and cooperation with China on an equal and dignified basis, promoting a peaceful and shared environment across the Taiwan Strait
