Xi renews warning against Taiwan independence in National Day address

Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a sharp warning over the issue of Taiwan in his annual National Day address on Tuesday, saying Beijing must firmly oppose “external interference” and safeguard its territorial integrity.

Xi also used his speech to pledge to “practice true multilateralism”, in what has been a consistent message from Chinese officials framing Beijing as a source of stability and a defender of the world order amid global changes.

He said Beijing must deepen cross-strait exchanges with Taiwan, “firmly oppose separatist activities seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ and external interference, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity”, according to his speech released by state news agency Xinhua.

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While he used similar language about Taiwan in his National Day speech last year, Xi did not single out external forces then.

In 2024, Xi stressed that Taiwan was a “sacred” part of China and that “the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are connected by blood”.

The speech last year came just months after William Lai Ching-te succeeded Tsai Ing-wen as the self-ruled island’s leader. Cross-strait tensions remain high as Beijing continues to accuse the Lai administration of spreading lies and inciting cross-strait confrontation.

And, after two US Republican senators visited Taiwan last month, Beijing warned Washington to stop supporting “forces advocating Taiwan independence” and “creating factors that heighten tensions” in the Taiwan Strait.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Xi planned to press US President Donald Trump to formally state that the US opposed Taiwanese independence.

South China Morning Post