China warns it ‘will not rule out force’ over Taiwan despite recent soft-tone messaging

Beijing has reiterated that it “absolutely will not” rule out the use of force to achieve what it calls “reunification” with Taiwan, striking a far tougher tone than recent state media commentaries that had focused on promises of peaceful governance.

The Hindu reported that China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson, Peng Qing’en, made the remarks at a press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday, saying that while peaceful reunification under the “one country, two systems” framework remained the preferred route, the use of force was not off the table.

“We are willing to create ample space for peaceful reunification and will spare no effort to pursue this prospect with the utmost sincerity,” Peng said. “However, we absolutely will not renounce the use of force and reserve the option to take all necessary measures.”

The statement marks a sharp departure from recent articles by the state-run Xinhua News Agency, which outlined a more conciliatory vision of Beijing’s plans for Taiwan, including allowing “patriots” to govern the island and promising to preserve its social system and way of life. None of those articles explicitly mentioned the use of military force.

China’s top Taiwan policymaker, Wang Huning, the Communist Party’s fourth-ranking official, also avoided any reference to force in a major address over the weekend, instead stressing the mutual benefits of reunification for both sides.

Taiwan, however, continues to reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims. Speaking earlier in Taipei, Taiwan’s National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen dismissed China’s “patriots-only” governance model as an attempt to erode the island’s democracy and international standing.

“The aim is to belittle Taiwan’s global stature and ‘Hong Kong-ify’ and ‘Macau-ify’ it — effectively eliminating Taiwan’s sovereignty, which the Chinese Communist Party seeks to do,” Tsai said. “I think the Chinese communists have no way to impose the Hong Kong or Macau model on Taiwan.”

China’s renewed push for reunification comes ahead of a scheduled meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday. When asked if Taiwan would be discussed, Trump told reporters he was “not sure” whether the topic would come up.

Beijing views the self-governed island as part of its territory and has never renounced the possibility of using military action to bring it under its control. Taiwan, which has been a democracy since 1996, maintains that only its people have the right to decide their future.

In contrast to Hong Kong’s tightly controlled “patriots-only” elections held in 2021, where turnout reached a record low, Taiwan’s democratic process remains vibrant, with candidates free to advocate any position, including support for independence or closer ties with Beijing.

China’s firm rhetoric underscores a renewed determination to assert control over Taiwan, even as Taipei and its international partners continue to call for the preservation of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.