Taiwan and China split in 1949 following a civil war that ended with the Communist Party in control of the mainland. The island has never been part of the People’s Republic of China, but Beijing says it must unite with the mainland, by force if necessary.
Relations between China and Taiwan soured after Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island in August last year. Recently, China’s foreign minister Qin Gang said that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to China and that “those who play with fire on Taiwan will eventually get themselves burned”.
Beijing views the island, which rebels have taken control of, as an integral part of its territory. The Chinese leadership claims that a peaceful reunification is its top priority, but it has not completely disregarded military alternatives
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen made a transit to the U.S. last month, triggering condemnation from China and leading to last week s large-scale military drills around the self-governing island.
Late last year, as Taipei took significant steps to prepare itself for Beijing s military ambitions in the ensuing ten years, President Tsai Ing-wen declared the change in policy