China reiterated that "reunification" with Taiwan is a "must" and not "optional." Beijing stated that there is no room for negotiation on this issue, considering Taiwan an integral part of Chinese territory.
The Chinese government welcomed the start of a debate on the island about the conditions and viability of a possible application of the "one country, two systems" formula. This model, already successfully implemented in Macau and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, has been presented by Beijing as the solution for Taiwan's integration.
Beijing's authorities have been pressuring Taiwan to accept the governance model applied in the other Chinese territories under special administration. The debate in Taiwan arises in a context of persistent tensions between mainland China and Taipei.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and opposes any independence movement on the island. Beijing maintains its position that reunification is inevitable and that the "one country, two systems" model provides the appropriate framework to achieve this objective.
