New Year's address inspiring for all

Reunification an inevitable trend

President Xi Jinping's New Year message highlighted three points regarding the Taiwan question that deserve particular attention.

First, national reunification must be achieved on the basis of the one-China principle, and the Taiwan question can also be resolved under the basic principle of "one country, two systems".

Second, by highlighting the bond of blood and kinship shared by people on both sides of the Strait, the message underscores a shared national identity — both sides belong to one China and that compatriots across the Strait are all Chinese. This shared identity is a crucial foundation for fostering public cohesion, enhancing mutually beneficial economic exchanges, and improving the well-being of people on both sides of the Strait.

Third, the resolve to achieve complete national reunification remains unwavering. The reunification of the motherland — a trend of the times — is unstoppable. Any attempts to pursue "Taiwan independence" or any attempts to thwart China's endeavor for reunification are doomed to fail.

These efforts are supported by China's confidence. Amid a turbulent world, China acts as an engine for global economic prosperity, a cornerstone of world stability, and an anchor for international security. Given its reliable performance on the world stage, along with its policy planning and a series of remarkable achievements, China possesses full confidence, capability, and wisdom to advance the grand blueprint of reunification and further solidify the one-China principle as a basic norm governing international relations and a prevailing consensus across the international community.

Achieving reunification is also crucial for the Chinese people to enhance national pride, showcase China's cultural appeal, global influence, and its role in shaping the international landscape and upholding the post-WWII international order.

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.