🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 99 (from laksa199)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa099.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/12/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/12/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/nov\/12\/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy","crawl_time":1774077749,"first_indexed_time":1762909716,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,theguardian!www,\/world\/2025\/nov\/12\/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy s443","src_root_hash":"4161074618625082499","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"China sharpens its language on Taiwan as part of ‘longer-term’ strategy | Taiwan | The Guardian","meta_descriptions":["A series of statements, articles, photos and even a new national holiday indicate a shift in Beijing’s stance over the island, analysts say"],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"In recent weeks China has released a series of statements, articles and photos, that analysts say signal an escalation in the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s approach to\nTaiwan\n.\nBeijing claims Taiwan as a province and has vowed to annex it under what it terms “reunification”. China’s military is\nnot believed to be capable\nof a full invasion yet, but senior officials have recently started using sharper language.\nA series of “explainer” articles in state media in October outlined how Taiwan would be governed under Chinese rule: by vetted pro-China “patriots” in a “one country two systems” regime similar to that instituted in Hong Kong and Macau. Such a proposal has long been rejected by Taiwan, particularly after Hong Kong’s crushing of the “high degree of autonomy” the regime promised.\n“The aim is to belittle Taiwan’s international standing, and Hong Kong-ify and Macau-ify Taiwan, to achieve the political objective of eliminating Taiwan’s sovereignty,” said the head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Tsai Ming-yen of the articles.\nThe articles promised peace and economic prosperity, but also warned: “After reunification, risks of war, caused by “Taiwan independence” secessionists, will be removed and external interference will be prevented”.\nBeijing has also recently added to its various historical revisions, designed to bolster its claim over Taiwan, with the designation of a new national holiday in China. Retrocession day, on 25 October is celebrated in Taiwan to mark the end of Japanese colonial rule, but Beijing has recast it as the day Taiwan was returned to China – specifically the China now ruled by the CCP.\nBeijing has also become stricter in how it allows other countries to think about Taiwan. After Germany’s foreign minister said his country’s long standing position opposed “violent change” in the status quo that keeps the tenuous peace in the Taiwan Strait, China’s foreign ministry essentially accused them of supporting separatism.\n“Those who only call for no change of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and do not oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ are actually aiding and abetting ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities,” said foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.\nBonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the US-based German Marshall Fund, said she had never heard that language from Chinese officials before, and it marked a significant shift.\n“All these moves, including the activities around the ‘Taiwan retrocession’ Day, suggest that Beijing is more aggressively pressing for progress toward reunification,” said Glaser.\nLate in October China’s state and social media released a series of satellite photos taken by China’s Jilin-2 satellite of some of Taiwan’s most famous tourist spots – the Alishan mountain range, Sun Moon Lake – and economic centres like capital city Taipei, and the Hsinchu Science Park.\nThe ultra high-definition images were\ncaptioned\n“across the strait, under one sky”. The Chinese embassy in the US posted them online with the words: “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory”.\n“Every inch of Taiwan Province, China, is vibrant under the “Jilin-1” space satellite’s perspective,” it said.\nAnalysts say the message was obvious: Beijing could see “every inch” of Taiwan whenever it wanted.\nIn Taiwan, people and officials called the photos voyeuristic.\n“If the point that China is trying to make with these satellite pictures is that it owns everything it took pictures of, then that’s just plain immature,” Wang Ting-yu, a Taiwanese legislator from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, told local media.\nChinese officials sought to brush off the characterisation. “It is normal for Chinese satellites to look at the magnificent mountains and rivers of China’s Taiwan. There is nothing surprising about it,” Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), said.\nRaymond Kuo, director of the Rand Corporation’s Taiwan Policy Initiative, said the escalated activity was perhaps more noticeable now, after a period of time in which China had been presenting itself as a stable global neighbour to counter the volatility introduced by the US and others. But there was potentially also strategy behind it.\nDonald Trump is expected to meet Xi in Beijing in April, and these moves could help “prepare ground” for Xi seeking US concessions on its protection of Taiwan, Kuo said.\n“Enforcing Taiwan’s isolation could make it easier for Xi to say ‘already no one deals with Taiwan’,” he said.\nSong Bo, a fellow at Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS), said it was all part of a two to three year “longer-term adjustment” of China’s Taiwan policy, and the lifting of self-imposed limits on how it manages and communicates about Taiwan.\n“This isn’t about sudden escalation; it’s about China normalising actions it once restrained itself from taking,” said Song.\nAdditional research by Lillian Yang","attrs_markdown":"![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p?c1=2&c2=6035250&cv=2.0&cj=1&cs_ucfr=0&comscorekw=world)\n\n[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/nov\/12\/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy#maincontent)[Skip to navigation](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/nov\/12\/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy#navigation)\n\nClose dialogue\n\n1\/1\n\nNext image\n\nPrevious image\n\nToggle caption\n\n[Skip to navigation](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/nov\/12\/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy#navigation)\n\n[Print subscriptions](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/subscribe\/weekly?REFPVID=mn0035alok6ztgey66ug&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mn0035alok6ztgey66ug%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fnov%2F12%2Fchina-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy%22%7D)\n\n[Search jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n\n[Sign in](https:\/\/profile.theguardian.com\/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header)\n\nEur\n\n- [Europe edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/eur)\n- [UK edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/uk)\n- [US edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/us)\n- [Australia edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/au)\n- [International edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/int)\n\n[The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n\n- [News](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree)\n- [Sport](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture)\n- [Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle)\n\nShow more\n\nHide expanded menu\n\n- News\n  - [View all News](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [World news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world)\n  - [UK news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news)\n  - [Climate crisis](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/climate-crisis)\n  - [Ukraine](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/ukraine)\n  - [Environment](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment)\n  - [Science](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/science)\n  - [Global development](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development)\n  - [Football](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football)\n  - [Tech](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology)\n  - [Business](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business)\n  - [Obituaries](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/obituaries)\n- Opinion\n  - [View all Opinion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree)\n  - [The Guardian view](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/profile\/editorial)\n  - [Columnists](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/index\/contributors)\n  - [Cartoons](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/cartoons)\n  - [Opinion videos](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/type\/video+tone\/comment)\n  - [Letters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/letters)\n- Sport\n  - [View all Sport](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport)\n  - [Football](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football)\n  - [Cricket](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/cricket)\n  - [Rugby union](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/rugby-union)\n  - [Tennis](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/tennis)\n  - [Cycling](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/cycling)\n  - [F1](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/formulaone)\n  - [Golf](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/golf)\n  - [US sports](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/us-sport)\n- Culture\n  - [View all Culture](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture)\n  - [Books](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/books)\n  - [Music](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/music)\n  - [TV & radio](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tv-and-radio)\n  - [Art & design](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/artanddesign)\n  - [Film](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film)\n  - [Games](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/games)\n  - [Classical](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/music\/classicalmusicandopera)\n  - [Stage](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/stage)\n- Lifestyle\n  - [View all Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle)\n  - [Fashion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/fashion)\n  - [Food](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/food)\n  - [Recipes](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/recipes)\n  - [Love & sex](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/love-and-sex)\n  - [Health & fitness](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/health-and-wellbeing)\n  - [Home & garden](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/home-and-garden)\n  - [Women](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/women)\n  - [Men](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/men)\n  - [Family](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/family)\n  - [Travel](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/travel)\n  - [Money](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/money)\n  - [Support us](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=side_menu_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22,%22componentId%22:%22side_menu_support%22%7D)\n  - [Print subscriptions](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/subscribe\/weekly?REFPVID=mn0035alok6ztgey66ug&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mn0035alok6ztgey66ug%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fnov%2F12%2Fchina-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy%22%7D)\n- - [Search jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [Holidays](https:\/\/holidays.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=holidays_int_web_newheader)\n  - [Digital Archive](https:\/\/theguardian.newspapers.com\/)\n  - [Guardian Licensing](https:\/\/licensing.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [Live events](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_eur_header_dropdown)\n  - [About Us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/about)\n  - [The Guardian app](https:\/\/app.adjust.com\/16xt6hai)\n  - [Video](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/video)\n  - [Podcasts](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/podcasts)\n  - [Pictures](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/inpictures)\n  - [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/email-newsletters)\n  - [Today's paper](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/theguardian)\n  - [Inside the Guardian](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/insidetheguardian)\n  - [Guardian Weekly](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_Int)\n  - [Crosswords](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/crosswords)\n  - [Wordiply](https:\/\/www.wordiply.com\/)\n  - [Corrections](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/theguardian\/series\/corrections-and-clarifications)\n  - [Tips](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tips)\n- - [Search jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [Holidays](https:\/\/holidays.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=holidays_int_web_newheader)\n  - [Digital Archive](https:\/\/theguardian.newspapers.com\/)\n  - [Guardian Licensing](https:\/\/licensing.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [Live events](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_eur_header_dropdown)\n  - [About Us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/about)\n\n- [World](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world)\n- [Europe](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/europe-news)\n- [US news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news)\n- [Americas](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/americas)\n- [Asia](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/asia)\n- [Australia](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/australia-news)\n- [Middle East](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/middleeast)\n- [Africa](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/africa)\n- [Inequality](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/inequality)\n- [Global development](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development)\n\n![Statues of soldiers on the Bada Tower are seen in Kinmen on October 28, 2025. ](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/045090ef59a1a2561fb539c9d5c142a3df5be6e3\/309_0_3086_2469\/master\/3086.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)\n\nChina has sharpened its language on Taiwan  Photograph: I-Hwa Cheng\/AFP\/Getty Images\n\n[View image in fullscreen](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/nov\/12\/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy#img-1)\n\nChina has sharpened its language on Taiwan  Photograph: I-Hwa Cheng\/AFP\/Getty Images\n\n[Taiwan](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/taiwan)\n\nThis article is more than **4 months old**\n\n[Analysis](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/analysis)\n\n# China sharpens its language on Taiwan as part of ‘longer-term’ strategy\nThis article is more than 4 months old\n\n[Helen Davidson](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/profile\/helen-davidson) in Taipei\n\nA series of statements, articles, photos and even a new national holiday indicate a shift in Beijing’s stance over the island, analysts say\n\nWed 12 Nov 2025 01.59 CET\n\nLast modified on Wed 12 Nov 2025 02.00 CET\n\nShare\n\nIn recent weeks China has released a series of statements, articles and photos, that analysts say signal an escalation in the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s approach to [Taiwan](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/taiwan).\n\nBeijing claims Taiwan as a province and has vowed to annex it under what it terms “reunification”. China’s military is [not believed to be capable](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/jun\/18\/taiwan-war-games-china-attack) of a full invasion yet, but senior officials have recently started using sharper language.\n\n[![People sitting on the floor with hands on their bowed heads in what looks to be an underground car park](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8b5d87ac4909c1e49f65e326340120dcc879a433\/344_0_3290_2632\/master\/3290.jpg?width=460&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=dd874726f225967f01ebd8453537e3b3)‘Preparation is our only option’: sirens wail as Taiwan simulates China attack in city streets Read more](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/jul\/17\/taiwan-simulates-china-attack-city-streets-urban-warfare-annual-drill)\n\nA series of “explainer” articles in state media in October outlined how Taiwan would be governed under Chinese rule: by vetted pro-China “patriots” in a “one country two systems” regime similar to that instituted in Hong Kong and Macau. Such a proposal has long been rejected by Taiwan, particularly after Hong Kong’s crushing of the “high degree of autonomy” the regime promised.\n\n“The aim is to belittle Taiwan’s international standing, and Hong Kong-ify and Macau-ify Taiwan, to achieve the political objective of eliminating Taiwan’s sovereignty,” said the head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Tsai Ming-yen of the articles.\n\nThe articles promised peace and economic prosperity, but also warned: “After reunification, risks of war, caused by “Taiwan independence” secessionists, will be removed and external interference will be prevented”.\n\nBeijing has also recently added to its various historical revisions, designed to bolster its claim over Taiwan, with the designation of a new national holiday in China. Retrocession day, on 25 October is celebrated in Taiwan to mark the end of Japanese colonial rule, but Beijing has recast it as the day Taiwan was returned to China – specifically the China now ruled by the CCP.\n\nBeijing has also become stricter in how it allows other countries to think about Taiwan. After Germany’s foreign minister said his country’s long standing position opposed “violent change” in the status quo that keeps the tenuous peace in the Taiwan Strait, China’s foreign ministry essentially accused them of supporting separatism.\n\n“Those who only call for no change of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and do not oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ are actually aiding and abetting ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities,” said foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.\n\nBonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the US-based German Marshall Fund, said she had never heard that language from Chinese officials before, and it marked a significant shift.\n\n“All these moves, including the activities around the ‘Taiwan retrocession’ Day, suggest that Beijing is more aggressively pressing for progress toward reunification,” said Glaser.\n\nLate in October China’s state and social media released a series of satellite photos taken by China’s Jilin-2 satellite of some of Taiwan’s most famous tourist spots – the Alishan mountain range, Sun Moon Lake – and economic centres like capital city Taipei, and the Hsinchu Science Park.\n\nThe ultra high-definition images were [captioned](https:\/\/x.com\/ChineseEmbinUS\/status\/1984316864709689741) “across the strait, under one sky”. The Chinese embassy in the US posted them online with the words: “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory”.\n\n“Every inch of Taiwan Province, China, is vibrant under the “Jilin-1” space satellite’s perspective,” it said.\n\nAnalysts say the message was obvious: Beijing could see “every inch” of Taiwan whenever it wanted.\n\nIn Taiwan, people and officials called the photos voyeuristic.\n\n“If the point that China is trying to make with these satellite pictures is that it owns everything it took pictures of, then that’s just plain immature,” Wang Ting-yu, a Taiwanese legislator from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, told local media.\n\nChinese officials sought to brush off the characterisation. “It is normal for Chinese satellites to look at the magnificent mountains and rivers of China’s Taiwan. There is nothing surprising about it,” Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), said.\n\nRaymond Kuo, director of the Rand Corporation’s Taiwan Policy Initiative, said the escalated activity was perhaps more noticeable now, after a period of time in which China had been presenting itself as a stable global neighbour to counter the volatility introduced by the US and others. But there was potentially also strategy behind it.\n\nDonald Trump is expected to meet Xi in Beijing in April, and these moves could help “prepare ground” for Xi seeking US concessions on its protection of Taiwan, Kuo said.\n\n“Enforcing Taiwan’s isolation could make it easier for Xi to say ‘already no one deals with Taiwan’,” he said.\n\nSong Bo, a fellow at Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS), said it was all part of a two to three year “longer-term adjustment” of China’s Taiwan policy, and the lifting of self-imposed limits on how it manages and communicates about Taiwan.\n\n“This isn’t about sudden escalation; it’s about China normalising actions it once restrained itself from taking,” said Song.\n\n*Additional research by Lillian Yang*\n\nExplore more on these topics\n\n- [Taiwan](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/taiwan)\n- [China](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/china)\n- [Asia Pacific](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/asia-pacific)\n- [analysis](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/analysis)\n\nShare\n\n[Reuse this content](https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fnov%2F12%2Fchina-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy&type=article&internalpagecode=world\/2025\/nov\/12\/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy \"Reuse this content\")\n\n### Most viewed\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/663a4a6b1e21ea51d73b5268ffbd4e4ab1e9f96b\/500_0_5000_4000\/master\/5000.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) LiveMiddle East crisis live: Trump considering ‘winding down’ war as US eases sanctions on Iranian oil; Israel launches retaliatory strikes](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/mar\/21\/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-eases-oil-sanctions-israel-strikes)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/daec762318ca2d69a0008fd0228de635b9f9706b\/463_0_4674_3738\/master\/4674.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) The impossible task of caring for ageing parents who did not care for you: ‘There’s a lot of reliving old triggers’](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/science\/2026\/mar\/21\/caring-ageing-parents-who-did-not-care-for-you-triggers)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/7445223b5fe5094f33fe927cf4f609b6c7256337\/0_0_4718_3775\/master\/4718.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Top US Fema official claims to have teleported to a Waffle House before](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/mar\/20\/fema-gregg-phillips-waffle-house)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/6a93a3e65bcd6cf756ac137a39af3e96c85dda01\/333_0_3333_2668\/master\/3333.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Woman, 80, receives probation and no jail time over San Francisco crash that killed four](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/mar\/20\/san-francisco-car-crash-sentence)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/9d94754a7e198b58d831ad8ee8a38db283ab66f2\/0_155_2410_1928\/master\/2410.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Nicholas Brendon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor, dies at 54](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tv-and-radio\/2026\/mar\/20\/nicholas-brendon-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-actor-dies)\n\n## More on this story\n## More on this story\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/1e1c8c6a595a6ee9581c1b2c82e8da7de8be2e4b\/552_0_3867_3094\/master\/3867.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Trump ‘not worried’ as China’s live-fire Taiwan wargame enters second day\n  30 Dec 2025\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/6b583d72fd8f70cecef5efccce09448fbdaf33ba\/693_0_2307_1845\/master\/2307.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### China launches live-fire drills around Taiwan simulating blockade of major ports\n  29 Dec 2025\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/48c23c03fc4a3b3c4e5e86d9d3d9746b2c5ae043\/324_0_3240_2592\/master\/3240.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### China imposes sanctions on US defence firms over Taiwan arms deal\n  26 Dec 2025\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/855a35969b5314f7d7388baadc509b8012c15ca8\/911_0_4560_3648\/master\/4560.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### US announces more than \\$10bn of arms sales to Taiwan\n  18 Dec 2025\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8cddab92203a07f263989390bec06116a673295e\/603_0_6331_5065\/master\/6331.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### China is bearing down on Taiwan – enabled by Trump’s weakness and vacillation\n  30 Nov 2025\n  \n  [666 666 comments](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2025\/nov\/30\/china-donald-trump-xi-jinping-taiwan-trade#comments)\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4468e2e9260730a6786652338fc1d16708906ae8\/0_143_3986_3190\/master\/3986.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Taiwan plans extra \\$40bn in defence spending to counter China’s ‘intensifying’ threats\n  26 Nov 2025\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/737c047b300ee91ea83686f74684ec5f57b377ae\/78_0_4498_3599\/master\/4498.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### China’s Xi Jinping raises future of Taiwan in call with Donald Trump\n  25 Nov 2025\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/878707b7ee2d5eb1447a2a0d4773b39557637dc7\/824_0_4164_3333\/master\/4164.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### China and Japan are in a war of words over Taiwan – what happens next?\n  17 Nov 2025\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3a3a3efef45669a333f3e9939b4c0750268b7e89\/374_0_4758_3806\/master\/4758.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Trump says China ‘doesn’t want’ to invade Taiwan and reaffirms trust in Xi\n  20 Oct 2025\n\n## More from News\n## More from News\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/0381c93f193e40a8c7c0300adeabac4222cfb4ed\/100_0_1500_1200\/master\/1500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### WorldFrench IS member convicted of genocide for atrocities against Yazidis\n  14h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/a9807ffe206458b6f87fbb886b425b5d73b866a8\/509_0_2439_1952\/master\/2439.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Elon MuskMusk responsible for Twitter investors’ stock dropping when he bought company, jury rules\n  6h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/a7711478fef94bd1e9d1672f58b28c26a844daa5\/235_752_3009_2406\/master\/3009.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### ArtDeath, power and paranoia: painting that shocked German society finally returns to Berlin\n  2h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/db2fbf4219fa50c75eb772fbd16689cfff096e1d\/500_0_5000_4000\/master\/5000.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### UKMore British teenagers stranded abroad as result of new rules on dual nationals\n  21m ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/fbc284e31e8cde20ba49dc7eb93c0a4c345fcbea\/142_0_5002_4000\/master\/5002.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Jeffrey EpsteinNorway’s crown princess says she was ‘deceived’ by Jeffrey Epstein\n  19h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/90cd9f3d96ff2bd6b53c37be5f6b1b7ea6443a47\/685_0_3125_2501\/master\/3125.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Battle of Hastings‘A fascinating discovery’: research challenges Battle of Hastings narrative\n  2h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/f53f8e674f5b3c1fccaf19b9b0a8e24f0987ae2f\/101_0_1499_1199\/master\/1499.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### MediaSenior European journalist suspended over AI-generated quotes\n  15h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/7445223b5fe5094f33fe927cf4f609b6c7256337\/0_0_4718_3775\/master\/4718.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### USTop US official claims to have teleported to a Waffle House before\n  12h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/9d94754a7e198b58d831ad8ee8a38db283ab66f2\/0_155_2410_1928\/master\/2410.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### TelevisionNicholas Brendon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor, dies at 54\n  5h ago\n\n## Most viewed\n## Most viewed\n- [Most viewed Across the Guardian](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/nov\/12\/tabs-popular-0)\n- [Most viewed in World news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/nov\/12\/tabs-popular-1)\n\n### Most viewed Across the\\&nbsp;Guardian\n1. [LiveMiddle East crisis live: Trump considering ‘winding down’ war as US eases sanctions on Iranian oil; Israel launches retaliatory strikes](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/mar\/21\/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-eases-oil-sanctions-israel-strikes)\n2. [Nicholas Brendon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor, dies at 54](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tv-and-radio\/2026\/mar\/20\/nicholas-brendon-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-actor-dies)\n3. [‘Yes to fields of wheat, no to fields of iron’: how the world’s greenest country soured on solar](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/20\/solar-power-renewable-energy-denmark-backlash-national-elections)\n4. [The impossible task of caring for ageing parents who did not care for you: ‘There’s a lot of reliving old triggers’](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/science\/2026\/mar\/21\/caring-ageing-parents-who-did-not-care-for-you-triggers)\n5. [‘A fascinating discovery’: research challenges Battle of Hastings narrative](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture\/2026\/mar\/21\/battle-of-hastings-discovery-research-england-history)\n6. [Iran’s willingness to escalate this high-stakes war is its greatest weapon](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/21\/iran-war-conflict-middle-east-trump-israel)\n7. [Death, power and paranoia: painting that shocked German society finally returns to Berlin](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/artanddesign\/2026\/mar\/21\/death-power-and-paranoia-painting-that-shocked-german-society-finally-returns-to-berlin)\n8. [Hungary officials ‘gave Ukrainian forced injection’ after raid on bank vehicles](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/20\/hungary-officials-gave-ukrainian-forced-injection-after-bank-vehicles-raid-sources-say)\n9. [Donald Trump ‘very surprised’ Australia declined to send troops to strait of Hormuz amid fuel crisis](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/mar\/21\/donald-trump-surprised-australia-strait-of-hormuz-fuel-prices)\n10. [‘Not our war’: Gulf states weigh up options as existential threat from Iran conflict grows](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/20\/gulf-states-weigh-up-options-iran-us-israel-conflict-middle-east-crisis-war)\n\n### Most viewed in World news\n1. [LiveMiddle East crisis live: Trump considering ‘winding down’ war; Iran reportedly fired two missiles at Diego Garcia military base](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/mar\/21\/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-eases-oil-sanctions-israel-strikes)\n2. [Israel launches fresh strikes on Tehran and Beirut - as it happened](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/mar\/20\/iran-war-live-updates-oil-prices-israel-netanyahu-ground-component-us-tensions-hormuz)\n3. [‘Yes to fields of wheat, no to fields of iron’: how the world’s greenest country soured on solar](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/20\/solar-power-renewable-energy-denmark-backlash-national-elections)\n4. [Iran’s willingness to escalate this high-stakes war is its greatest weapon](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/21\/iran-war-conflict-middle-east-trump-israel)\n5. [‘Not our war’: Gulf states weigh up options as existential threat from Iran conflict grows](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/20\/gulf-states-weigh-up-options-iran-us-israel-conflict-middle-east-crisis-war)\n6. [‘It makes me feel more British’: Muslims say religious diversity in the UK part of identity](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/20\/it-makes-me-feel-more-british-muslims-say-religious-diversity-in-the-uk-part-of-identity)\n7. [Ukraine war briefing: Children ordered to leave key Ukrainian stronghold as Russians advance](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/21\/ukraine-war-briefing-children-ordered-to-leave-key-ukrainian-stronghold-as-russians-advance)\n8. [Hungary officials ‘gave Ukrainian forced injection’ after raid on bank vehicles](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/20\/hungary-officials-gave-ukrainian-forced-injection-after-bank-vehicles-raid-sources-say)\n9. [US to send three more warships and thousands more troops to Middle East, reports say](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/20\/us-considering-occupying-iran-kharg-island-hormuz-strait-trump)\n10. [How the Iran war has sent shocks rippling across the globe](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/20\/iran-war-shocks-across-globe-effects-key-takeaways)\n\n- [World](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world)\n- [Europe](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/europe-news)\n- [US news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news)\n- [Americas](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/americas)\n- [Asia](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/asia)\n- [Australia](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/australia-news)\n- [Middle East](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/middleeast)\n- [Africa](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/africa)\n- [Inequality](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/inequality)\n- [Global development](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development)\n\n- [News](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree)\n- [Sport](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture)\n- [Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle)\n\nOriginal reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning\n\n[Sign up for our email](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global\/2022\/sep\/20\/sign-up-for-the-first-edition-newsletter-our-free-news-email)\n\n- [About us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/about)\n- [Help](https:\/\/manage.theguardian.com\/help-centre)\n- [Complaints & corrections](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/info\/complaints-and-corrections)\n- [Contact us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/help\/contact-us)\n- [Tip us off](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tips)\n- [SecureDrop](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/securedrop)\n- [Privacy policy](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/info\/privacy)\n- [Cookie policy](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/info\/cookies)\n- [Tax strategy](https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2025\/09\/05\/Tax_strategy_for_the_year_ended_31_March_2025.pdf)\n- [Terms & conditions](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/help\/terms-of-service)\n\n- [All topics](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/index\/subjects\/a)\n- [All writers](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/index\/contributors)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_EUROPE)\n- [Digital newspaper archive](https:\/\/theguardian.newspapers.com\/)\n- [Bluesky](https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/theguardian.com)\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/theguardian)\n- [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/guardian)\n- [LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/theguardian)\n- [Threads](https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@guardian)\n- [TikTok](https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@guardian)\n- [YouTube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/TheGuardian)\n\n- [Advertise with us](https:\/\/advertising.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Search UK jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Tips](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tips)\n- [Accessibility settings](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/help\/accessibility-help)\n- [Work with us](https:\/\/workwithus.theguardian.com\/)\n\nSupport the Guardian\n\nAvailable for everyone, funded by readers\n\n[Support us](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=footer_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_FOOTER%22,%22componentId%22:%22footer_support%22%7D)\n\n[Back to top](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/nov\/12\/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy#top)\n\n© 2026 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.\n\n(dcr)","attrs_readable_markdown":"In recent weeks China has released a series of statements, articles and photos, that analysts say signal an escalation in the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s approach to [Taiwan](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/taiwan).\n\nBeijing claims Taiwan as a province and has vowed to annex it under what it terms “reunification”. China’s military is [not believed to be capable](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/jun\/18\/taiwan-war-games-china-attack) of a full invasion yet, but senior officials have recently started using sharper language.\n\nA series of “explainer” articles in state media in October outlined how Taiwan would be governed under Chinese rule: by vetted pro-China “patriots” in a “one country two systems” regime similar to that instituted in Hong Kong and Macau. Such a proposal has long been rejected by Taiwan, particularly after Hong Kong’s crushing of the “high degree of autonomy” the regime promised.\n\n“The aim is to belittle Taiwan’s international standing, and Hong Kong-ify and Macau-ify Taiwan, to achieve the political objective of eliminating Taiwan’s sovereignty,” said the head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Tsai Ming-yen of the articles.\n\nThe articles promised peace and economic prosperity, but also warned: “After reunification, risks of war, caused by “Taiwan independence” secessionists, will be removed and external interference will be prevented”.\n\nBeijing has also recently added to its various historical revisions, designed to bolster its claim over Taiwan, with the designation of a new national holiday in China. Retrocession day, on 25 October is celebrated in Taiwan to mark the end of Japanese colonial rule, but Beijing has recast it as the day Taiwan was returned to China – specifically the China now ruled by the CCP.\n\nBeijing has also become stricter in how it allows other countries to think about Taiwan. After Germany’s foreign minister said his country’s long standing position opposed “violent change” in the status quo that keeps the tenuous peace in the Taiwan Strait, China’s foreign ministry essentially accused them of supporting separatism.\n\n“Those who only call for no change of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and do not oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ are actually aiding and abetting ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities,” said foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.\n\nBonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the US-based German Marshall Fund, said she had never heard that language from Chinese officials before, and it marked a significant shift.\n\n“All these moves, including the activities around the ‘Taiwan retrocession’ Day, suggest that Beijing is more aggressively pressing for progress toward reunification,” said Glaser.\n\nLate in October China’s state and social media released a series of satellite photos taken by China’s Jilin-2 satellite of some of Taiwan’s most famous tourist spots – the Alishan mountain range, Sun Moon Lake – and economic centres like capital city Taipei, and the Hsinchu Science Park.\n\nThe ultra high-definition images were [captioned](https:\/\/x.com\/ChineseEmbinUS\/status\/1984316864709689741) “across the strait, under one sky”. The Chinese embassy in the US posted them online with the words: “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory”.\n\n“Every inch of Taiwan Province, China, is vibrant under the “Jilin-1” space satellite’s perspective,” it said.\n\nAnalysts say the message was obvious: Beijing could see “every inch” of Taiwan whenever it wanted.\n\nIn Taiwan, people and officials called the photos voyeuristic.\n\n“If the point that China is trying to make with these satellite pictures is that it owns everything it took pictures of, then that’s just plain immature,” Wang Ting-yu, a Taiwanese legislator from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, told local media.\n\nChinese officials sought to brush off the characterisation. “It is normal for Chinese satellites to look at the magnificent mountains and rivers of China’s Taiwan. There is nothing surprising about it,” Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), said.\n\nRaymond Kuo, director of the Rand Corporation’s Taiwan Policy Initiative, said the escalated activity was perhaps more noticeable now, after a period of time in which China had been presenting itself as a stable global neighbour to counter the volatility introduced by the US and others. But there was potentially also strategy behind it.\n\nDonald Trump is expected to meet Xi in Beijing in April, and these moves could help “prepare ground” for Xi seeking US concessions on its protection of Taiwan, Kuo said.\n\n“Enforcing Taiwan’s isolation could make it easier for Xi to say ‘already no one deals with Taiwan’,” he said.\n\nSong Bo, a fellow at Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS), said it was all part of a two to three year “longer-term adjustment” of China’s Taiwan policy, and the lifting of self-imposed limits on how it manages and communicates about Taiwan.\n\n“This isn’t about sudden escalation; it’s about China normalising actions it once restrained itself from taking,” said Song.\n\n*Additional research by Lillian Yang*","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

26 days ago

🚫

ROBOTS BLOCKED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0.9 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/12/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy
Last Crawled	2026-03-21 07:22:29 (26 days ago)
First Indexed	2025-11-12 01:08:36 (5 months ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	China sharpens its language on Taiwan as part of ‘longer-term’ strategy \| Taiwan \| The Guardian
Meta Description	A series of statements, articles, photos and even a new national holiday indicate a shift in Beijing’s stance over the island, analysts say
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	In recent weeks China has released a series of statements, articles and photos, that analysts say signal an escalation in the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s approach to Taiwan . Beijing claims Taiwan as a province and has vowed to annex it under what it terms “reunification”. China’s military is not believed to be capable of a full invasion yet, but senior officials have recently started using sharper language. A series of “explainer” articles in state media in October outlined how Taiwan would be governed under Chinese rule: by vetted pro-China “patriots” in a “one country two systems” regime similar to that instituted in Hong Kong and Macau. Such a proposal has long been rejected by Taiwan, particularly after Hong Kong’s crushing of the “high degree of autonomy” the regime promised. “The aim is to belittle Taiwan’s international standing, and Hong Kong-ify and Macau-ify Taiwan, to achieve the political objective of eliminating Taiwan’s sovereignty,” said the head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Tsai Ming-yen of the articles. The articles promised peace and economic prosperity, but also warned: “After reunification, risks of war, caused by “Taiwan independence” secessionists, will be removed and external interference will be prevented”. Beijing has also recently added to its various historical revisions, designed to bolster its claim over Taiwan, with the designation of a new national holiday in China. Retrocession day, on 25 October is celebrated in Taiwan to mark the end of Japanese colonial rule, but Beijing has recast it as the day Taiwan was returned to China – specifically the China now ruled by the CCP. Beijing has also become stricter in how it allows other countries to think about Taiwan. After Germany’s foreign minister said his country’s long standing position opposed “violent change” in the status quo that keeps the tenuous peace in the Taiwan Strait, China’s foreign ministry essentially accused them of supporting separatism. “Those who only call for no change of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and do not oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ are actually aiding and abetting ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities,” said foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun. Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the US-based German Marshall Fund, said she had never heard that language from Chinese officials before, and it marked a significant shift. “All these moves, including the activities around the ‘Taiwan retrocession’ Day, suggest that Beijing is more aggressively pressing for progress toward reunification,” said Glaser. Late in October China’s state and social media released a series of satellite photos taken by China’s Jilin-2 satellite of some of Taiwan’s most famous tourist spots – the Alishan mountain range, Sun Moon Lake – and economic centres like capital city Taipei, and the Hsinchu Science Park. The ultra high-definition images were captioned “across the strait, under one sky”. The Chinese embassy in the US posted them online with the words: “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory”. “Every inch of Taiwan Province, China, is vibrant under the “Jilin-1” space satellite’s perspective,” it said. Analysts say the message was obvious: Beijing could see “every inch” of Taiwan whenever it wanted. In Taiwan, people and officials called the photos voyeuristic. “If the point that China is trying to make with these satellite pictures is that it owns everything it took pictures of, then that’s just plain immature,” Wang Ting-yu, a Taiwanese legislator from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, told local media. Chinese officials sought to brush off the characterisation. “It is normal for Chinese satellites to look at the magnificent mountains and rivers of China’s Taiwan. There is nothing surprising about it,” Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), said. Raymond Kuo, director of the Rand Corporation’s Taiwan Policy Initiative, said the escalated activity was perhaps more noticeable now, after a period of time in which China had been presenting itself as a stable global neighbour to counter the volatility introduced by the US and others. But there was potentially also strategy behind it. Donald Trump is expected to meet Xi in Beijing in April, and these moves could help “prepare ground” for Xi seeking US concessions on its protection of Taiwan, Kuo said. “Enforcing Taiwan’s isolation could make it easier for Xi to say ‘already no one deals with Taiwan’,” he said. Song Bo, a fellow at Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS), said it was all part of a two to three year “longer-term adjustment” of China’s Taiwan policy, and the lifting of self-imposed limits on how it manages and communicates about Taiwan. “This isn’t about sudden escalation; it’s about China normalising actions it once restrained itself from taking,” said Song. Additional research by Lillian Yang
Markdown	![](https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=6035250&cv=2.0&cj=1&cs_ucfr=0&comscorekw=world) [Skip to main content](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/12/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy#maincontent)[Skip to navigation](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/12/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy#navigation) Close dialogue 1/1 Next image Previous image Toggle caption [Skip to navigation](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/12/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy#navigation) [Print subscriptions](https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=mn0035alok6ztgey66ug&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mn0035alok6ztgey66ug%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fnov%2F12%2Fchina-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy%22%7D) [Search jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) [Sign in](https://profile.theguardian.com/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header) Eur - [Europe edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/eur) - [UK edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/uk) - [US edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/us) - [Australia edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au) - [International edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/int) [The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [News](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [Opinion](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) - [Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport) - [Culture](https://www.theguardian.com/culture) - [Lifestyle](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Show more Hide expanded menu - News - [View all News](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [World news](https://www.theguardian.com/world) - [UK news](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news) - [Climate crisis](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis) - [Ukraine](https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) - [Environment](https://www.theguardian.com/environment) - [Science](https://www.theguardian.com/science) - [Global development](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) - [Football](https://www.theguardian.com/football) - [Tech](https://www.theguardian.com/technology) - [Business](https://www.theguardian.com/business) - [Obituaries](https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries) - Opinion - [View all Opinion](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) - [The Guardian view](https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial) - [Columnists](https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) - [Cartoons](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/cartoons) - [Opinion videos](https://www.theguardian.com/type/video+tone/comment) - [Letters](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/letters) - Sport - [View all Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport) - [Football](https://www.theguardian.com/football) - [Cricket](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/cricket) - [Rugby union](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/rugby-union) - [Tennis](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/tennis) - [Cycling](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/cycling) - [F1](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/formulaone) - [Golf](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/golf) - [US sports](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/us-sport) - Culture - [View all Culture](https://www.theguardian.com/culture) - [Books](https://www.theguardian.com/books) - [Music](https://www.theguardian.com/music) - [TV & radio](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio) - [Art & design](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign) - [Film](https://www.theguardian.com/film) - [Games](https://www.theguardian.com/games) - [Classical](https://www.theguardian.com/music/classicalmusicandopera) - [Stage](https://www.theguardian.com/stage) - Lifestyle - [View all Lifestyle](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) - [Fashion](https://www.theguardian.com/fashion) - [Food](https://www.theguardian.com/food) - [Recipes](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/recipes) - [Love & sex](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/love-and-sex) - [Health & fitness](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/health-and-wellbeing) - [Home & garden](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/home-and-garden) - [Women](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/women) - [Men](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/men) - [Family](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/family) - [Travel](https://www.theguardian.com/travel) - [Money](https://www.theguardian.com/money) - [Support us](https://support.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=side_menu_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22,%22componentId%22:%22side_menu_support%22%7D) - [Print subscriptions](https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=mn0035alok6ztgey66ug&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mn0035alok6ztgey66ug%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fnov%2F12%2Fchina-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy%22%7D) - - [Search jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) - [Holidays](https://holidays.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=holidays_int_web_newheader) - [Digital Archive](https://theguardian.newspapers.com/) - [Guardian Licensing](https://licensing.theguardian.com/) - [Live events](https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_eur_header_dropdown) - [About Us](https://www.theguardian.com/about) - [The Guardian app](https://app.adjust.com/16xt6hai) - [Video](https://www.theguardian.com/video) - [Podcasts](https://www.theguardian.com/podcasts) - [Pictures](https://www.theguardian.com/inpictures) - [Newsletters](https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) - [Today's paper](https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian) - [Inside the Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/insidetheguardian) - [Guardian Weekly](https://www.theguardian.com/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_Int) - [Crosswords](https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords) - [Wordiply](https://www.wordiply.com/) - [Corrections](https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/series/corrections-and-clarifications) - [Tips](https://www.theguardian.com/tips) - - [Search jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) - [Holidays](https://holidays.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=holidays_int_web_newheader) - [Digital Archive](https://theguardian.newspapers.com/) - [Guardian Licensing](https://licensing.theguardian.com/) - [Live events](https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_eur_header_dropdown) - [About Us](https://www.theguardian.com/about) - [World](https://www.theguardian.com/world) - [Europe](https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) - [US news](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) - [Americas](https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas) - [Asia](https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia) - [Australia](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news) - [Middle East](https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) - [Africa](https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa) - [Inequality](https://www.theguardian.com/inequality) - [Global development](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) ![Statues of soldiers on the Bada Tower are seen in Kinmen on October 28, 2025. ](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/045090ef59a1a2561fb539c9d5c142a3df5be6e3/309_0_3086_2469/master/3086.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) China has sharpened its language on Taiwan Photograph: I-Hwa Cheng/AFP/Getty Images [View image in fullscreen](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/12/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy#img-1) China has sharpened its language on Taiwan Photograph: I-Hwa Cheng/AFP/Getty Images [Taiwan](https://www.theguardian.com/world/taiwan) This article is more than 4 months old [Analysis](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/analysis) # China sharpens its language on Taiwan as part of ‘longer-term’ strategy This article is more than 4 months old [Helen Davidson](https://www.theguardian.com/profile/helen-davidson) in Taipei A series of statements, articles, photos and even a new national holiday indicate a shift in Beijing’s stance over the island, analysts say Wed 12 Nov 2025 01.59 CET Last modified on Wed 12 Nov 2025 02.00 CET Share In recent weeks China has released a series of statements, articles and photos, that analysts say signal an escalation in the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s approach to [Taiwan](https://www.theguardian.com/world/taiwan). Beijing claims Taiwan as a province and has vowed to annex it under what it terms “reunification”. China’s military is [not believed to be capable](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/18/taiwan-war-games-china-attack) of a full invasion yet, but senior officials have recently started using sharper language. [![People sitting on the floor with hands on their bowed heads in what looks to be an underground car park](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/8b5d87ac4909c1e49f65e326340120dcc879a433/344_0_3290_2632/master/3290.jpg?width=460&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=dd874726f225967f01ebd8453537e3b3)‘Preparation is our only option’: sirens wail as Taiwan simulates China attack in city streets Read more](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/17/taiwan-simulates-china-attack-city-streets-urban-warfare-annual-drill) A series of “explainer” articles in state media in October outlined how Taiwan would be governed under Chinese rule: by vetted pro-China “patriots” in a “one country two systems” regime similar to that instituted in Hong Kong and Macau. Such a proposal has long been rejected by Taiwan, particularly after Hong Kong’s crushing of the “high degree of autonomy” the regime promised. “The aim is to belittle Taiwan’s international standing, and Hong Kong-ify and Macau-ify Taiwan, to achieve the political objective of eliminating Taiwan’s sovereignty,” said the head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Tsai Ming-yen of the articles. The articles promised peace and economic prosperity, but also warned: “After reunification, risks of war, caused by “Taiwan independence” secessionists, will be removed and external interference will be prevented”. Beijing has also recently added to its various historical revisions, designed to bolster its claim over Taiwan, with the designation of a new national holiday in China. Retrocession day, on 25 October is celebrated in Taiwan to mark the end of Japanese colonial rule, but Beijing has recast it as the day Taiwan was returned to China – specifically the China now ruled by the CCP. Beijing has also become stricter in how it allows other countries to think about Taiwan. After Germany’s foreign minister said his country’s long standing position opposed “violent change” in the status quo that keeps the tenuous peace in the Taiwan Strait, China’s foreign ministry essentially accused them of supporting separatism. “Those who only call for no change of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and do not oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ are actually aiding and abetting ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities,” said foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun. Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the US-based German Marshall Fund, said she had never heard that language from Chinese officials before, and it marked a significant shift. “All these moves, including the activities around the ‘Taiwan retrocession’ Day, suggest that Beijing is more aggressively pressing for progress toward reunification,” said Glaser. Late in October China’s state and social media released a series of satellite photos taken by China’s Jilin-2 satellite of some of Taiwan’s most famous tourist spots – the Alishan mountain range, Sun Moon Lake – and economic centres like capital city Taipei, and the Hsinchu Science Park. The ultra high-definition images were [captioned](https://x.com/ChineseEmbinUS/status/1984316864709689741) “across the strait, under one sky”. The Chinese embassy in the US posted them online with the words: “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory”. “Every inch of Taiwan Province, China, is vibrant under the “Jilin-1” space satellite’s perspective,” it said. Analysts say the message was obvious: Beijing could see “every inch” of Taiwan whenever it wanted. In Taiwan, people and officials called the photos voyeuristic. “If the point that China is trying to make with these satellite pictures is that it owns everything it took pictures of, then that’s just plain immature,” Wang Ting-yu, a Taiwanese legislator from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, told local media. Chinese officials sought to brush off the characterisation. “It is normal for Chinese satellites to look at the magnificent mountains and rivers of China’s Taiwan. There is nothing surprising about it,” Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), said. Raymond Kuo, director of the Rand Corporation’s Taiwan Policy Initiative, said the escalated activity was perhaps more noticeable now, after a period of time in which China had been presenting itself as a stable global neighbour to counter the volatility introduced by the US and others. But there was potentially also strategy behind it. Donald Trump is expected to meet Xi in Beijing in April, and these moves could help “prepare ground” for Xi seeking US concessions on its protection of Taiwan, Kuo said. “Enforcing Taiwan’s isolation could make it easier for Xi to say ‘already no one deals with Taiwan’,” he said. Song Bo, a fellow at Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS), said it was all part of a two to three year “longer-term adjustment” of China’s Taiwan policy, and the lifting of self-imposed limits on how it manages and communicates about Taiwan. “This isn’t about sudden escalation; it’s about China normalising actions it once restrained itself from taking,” said Song. Additional research by Lillian Yang Explore more on these topics - [Taiwan](https://www.theguardian.com/world/taiwan) - [China](https://www.theguardian.com/world/china) - [Asia Pacific](https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia-pacific) - [analysis](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/analysis) Share [Reuse this content](https://syndication.theguardian.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fnov%2F12%2Fchina-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy&type=article&internalpagecode=world/2025/nov/12/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy "Reuse this content") ### Most viewed - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/663a4a6b1e21ea51d73b5268ffbd4e4ab1e9f96b/500_0_5000_4000/master/5000.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) LiveMiddle East crisis live: Trump considering ‘winding down’ war as US eases sanctions on Iranian oil; Israel launches retaliatory strikes](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/21/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-eases-oil-sanctions-israel-strikes) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/daec762318ca2d69a0008fd0228de635b9f9706b/463_0_4674_3738/master/4674.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) The impossible task of caring for ageing parents who did not care for you: ‘There’s a lot of reliving old triggers’](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/mar/21/caring-ageing-parents-who-did-not-care-for-you-triggers) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/7445223b5fe5094f33fe927cf4f609b6c7256337/0_0_4718_3775/master/4718.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Top US Fema official claims to have teleported to a Waffle House before](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/20/fema-gregg-phillips-waffle-house) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6a93a3e65bcd6cf756ac137a39af3e96c85dda01/333_0_3333_2668/master/3333.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Woman, 80, receives probation and no jail time over San Francisco crash that killed four](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/20/san-francisco-car-crash-sentence) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9d94754a7e198b58d831ad8ee8a38db283ab66f2/0_155_2410_1928/master/2410.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Nicholas Brendon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor, dies at 54](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/mar/20/nicholas-brendon-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-actor-dies) ## More on this story ## More on this story - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/1e1c8c6a595a6ee9581c1b2c82e8da7de8be2e4b/552_0_3867_3094/master/3867.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Trump ‘not worried’ as China’s live-fire Taiwan wargame enters second day 30 Dec 2025 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6b583d72fd8f70cecef5efccce09448fbdaf33ba/693_0_2307_1845/master/2307.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### China launches live-fire drills around Taiwan simulating blockade of major ports 29 Dec 2025 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/48c23c03fc4a3b3c4e5e86d9d3d9746b2c5ae043/324_0_3240_2592/master/3240.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### China imposes sanctions on US defence firms over Taiwan arms deal 26 Dec 2025 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/855a35969b5314f7d7388baadc509b8012c15ca8/911_0_4560_3648/master/4560.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### US announces more than \$10bn of arms sales to Taiwan 18 Dec 2025 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/8cddab92203a07f263989390bec06116a673295e/603_0_6331_5065/master/6331.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### China is bearing down on Taiwan – enabled by Trump’s weakness and vacillation 30 Nov 2025 [666 666 comments](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/30/china-donald-trump-xi-jinping-taiwan-trade#comments) - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/4468e2e9260730a6786652338fc1d16708906ae8/0_143_3986_3190/master/3986.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Taiwan plans extra \$40bn in defence spending to counter China’s ‘intensifying’ threats 26 Nov 2025 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/737c047b300ee91ea83686f74684ec5f57b377ae/78_0_4498_3599/master/4498.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### China’s Xi Jinping raises future of Taiwan in call with Donald Trump 25 Nov 2025 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/878707b7ee2d5eb1447a2a0d4773b39557637dc7/824_0_4164_3333/master/4164.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### China and Japan are in a war of words over Taiwan – what happens next? 17 Nov 2025 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/3a3a3efef45669a333f3e9939b4c0750268b7e89/374_0_4758_3806/master/4758.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Trump says China ‘doesn’t want’ to invade Taiwan and reaffirms trust in Xi 20 Oct 2025 ## More from News ## More from News - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/0381c93f193e40a8c7c0300adeabac4222cfb4ed/100_0_1500_1200/master/1500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### WorldFrench IS member convicted of genocide for atrocities against Yazidis 14h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/a9807ffe206458b6f87fbb886b425b5d73b866a8/509_0_2439_1952/master/2439.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Elon MuskMusk responsible for Twitter investors’ stock dropping when he bought company, jury rules 6h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/a7711478fef94bd1e9d1672f58b28c26a844daa5/235_752_3009_2406/master/3009.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### ArtDeath, power and paranoia: painting that shocked German society finally returns to Berlin 2h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/db2fbf4219fa50c75eb772fbd16689cfff096e1d/500_0_5000_4000/master/5000.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### UKMore British teenagers stranded abroad as result of new rules on dual nationals 21m ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/fbc284e31e8cde20ba49dc7eb93c0a4c345fcbea/142_0_5002_4000/master/5002.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Jeffrey EpsteinNorway’s crown princess says she was ‘deceived’ by Jeffrey Epstein 19h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/90cd9f3d96ff2bd6b53c37be5f6b1b7ea6443a47/685_0_3125_2501/master/3125.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Battle of Hastings‘A fascinating discovery’: research challenges Battle of Hastings narrative 2h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f53f8e674f5b3c1fccaf19b9b0a8e24f0987ae2f/101_0_1499_1199/master/1499.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### MediaSenior European journalist suspended over AI-generated quotes 15h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/7445223b5fe5094f33fe927cf4f609b6c7256337/0_0_4718_3775/master/4718.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### USTop US official claims to have teleported to a Waffle House before 12h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9d94754a7e198b58d831ad8ee8a38db283ab66f2/0_155_2410_1928/master/2410.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### TelevisionNicholas Brendon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor, dies at 54 5h ago ## Most viewed ## Most viewed - [Most viewed Across the Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/12/tabs-popular-0) - [Most viewed in World news](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/12/tabs-popular-1) ### Most viewed Across the\ Guardian 1. [LiveMiddle East crisis live: Trump considering ‘winding down’ war as US eases sanctions on Iranian oil; Israel launches retaliatory strikes](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/21/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-eases-oil-sanctions-israel-strikes) 2. [Nicholas Brendon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor, dies at 54](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/mar/20/nicholas-brendon-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-actor-dies) 3. [‘Yes to fields of wheat, no to fields of iron’: how the world’s greenest country soured on solar](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/solar-power-renewable-energy-denmark-backlash-national-elections) 4. [The impossible task of caring for ageing parents who did not care for you: ‘There’s a lot of reliving old triggers’](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/mar/21/caring-ageing-parents-who-did-not-care-for-you-triggers) 5. [‘A fascinating discovery’: research challenges Battle of Hastings narrative](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/mar/21/battle-of-hastings-discovery-research-england-history) 6. [Iran’s willingness to escalate this high-stakes war is its greatest weapon](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/21/iran-war-conflict-middle-east-trump-israel) 7. [Death, power and paranoia: painting that shocked German society finally returns to Berlin](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/mar/21/death-power-and-paranoia-painting-that-shocked-german-society-finally-returns-to-berlin) 8. [Hungary officials ‘gave Ukrainian forced injection’ after raid on bank vehicles](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/hungary-officials-gave-ukrainian-forced-injection-after-bank-vehicles-raid-sources-say) 9. [Donald Trump ‘very surprised’ Australia declined to send troops to strait of Hormuz amid fuel crisis](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/21/donald-trump-surprised-australia-strait-of-hormuz-fuel-prices) 10. [‘Not our war’: Gulf states weigh up options as existential threat from Iran conflict grows](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/gulf-states-weigh-up-options-iran-us-israel-conflict-middle-east-crisis-war) ### Most viewed in World news 1. [LiveMiddle East crisis live: Trump considering ‘winding down’ war; Iran reportedly fired two missiles at Diego Garcia military base](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/21/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-eases-oil-sanctions-israel-strikes) 2. [Israel launches fresh strikes on Tehran and Beirut - as it happened](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/20/iran-war-live-updates-oil-prices-israel-netanyahu-ground-component-us-tensions-hormuz) 3. [‘Yes to fields of wheat, no to fields of iron’: how the world’s greenest country soured on solar](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/solar-power-renewable-energy-denmark-backlash-national-elections) 4. [Iran’s willingness to escalate this high-stakes war is its greatest weapon](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/21/iran-war-conflict-middle-east-trump-israel) 5. [‘Not our war’: Gulf states weigh up options as existential threat from Iran conflict grows](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/gulf-states-weigh-up-options-iran-us-israel-conflict-middle-east-crisis-war) 6. [‘It makes me feel more British’: Muslims say religious diversity in the UK part of identity](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/it-makes-me-feel-more-british-muslims-say-religious-diversity-in-the-uk-part-of-identity) 7. [Ukraine war briefing: Children ordered to leave key Ukrainian stronghold as Russians advance](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/21/ukraine-war-briefing-children-ordered-to-leave-key-ukrainian-stronghold-as-russians-advance) 8. [Hungary officials ‘gave Ukrainian forced injection’ after raid on bank vehicles](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/hungary-officials-gave-ukrainian-forced-injection-after-bank-vehicles-raid-sources-say) 9. [US to send three more warships and thousands more troops to Middle East, reports say](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/us-considering-occupying-iran-kharg-island-hormuz-strait-trump) 10. [How the Iran war has sent shocks rippling across the globe](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/iran-war-shocks-across-globe-effects-key-takeaways) - [World](https://www.theguardian.com/world) - [Europe](https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) - [US news](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) - [Americas](https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas) - [Asia](https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia) - [Australia](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news) - [Middle East](https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) - [Africa](https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa) - [Inequality](https://www.theguardian.com/inequality) - [Global development](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) - [News](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [Opinion](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) - [Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport) - [Culture](https://www.theguardian.com/culture) - [Lifestyle](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning [Sign up for our email](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2022/sep/20/sign-up-for-the-first-edition-newsletter-our-free-news-email) - [About us](https://www.theguardian.com/about) - [Help](https://manage.theguardian.com/help-centre) - [Complaints & corrections](https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections) - [Contact us](https://www.theguardian.com/help/contact-us) - [Tip us off](https://www.theguardian.com/tips) - [SecureDrop](https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop) - [Privacy policy](https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy) - [Cookie policy](https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies) - [Tax strategy](https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2025/09/05/Tax_strategy_for_the_year_ended_31_March_2025.pdf) - [Terms & conditions](https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service) - [All topics](https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a) - [All writers](https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) - [Newsletters](https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_EUROPE) - [Digital newspaper archive](https://theguardian.newspapers.com/) - [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/theguardian.com) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/theguardian) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/guardian) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/theguardian) - [Threads](https://www.threads.com/@guardian) - [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian) - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuardian) - [Advertise with us](https://advertising.theguardian.com/) - [Search UK jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) - [Tips](https://www.theguardian.com/tips) - [Accessibility settings](https://www.theguardian.com/help/accessibility-help) - [Work with us](https://workwithus.theguardian.com/) Support the Guardian Available for everyone, funded by readers [Support us](https://support.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=footer_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_FOOTER%22,%22componentId%22:%22footer_support%22%7D) [Back to top](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/12/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy#top) © 2026 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. (dcr)
Readable Markdown	In recent weeks China has released a series of statements, articles and photos, that analysts say signal an escalation in the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s approach to [Taiwan](https://www.theguardian.com/world/taiwan). Beijing claims Taiwan as a province and has vowed to annex it under what it terms “reunification”. China’s military is [not believed to be capable](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/18/taiwan-war-games-china-attack) of a full invasion yet, but senior officials have recently started using sharper language. A series of “explainer” articles in state media in October outlined how Taiwan would be governed under Chinese rule: by vetted pro-China “patriots” in a “one country two systems” regime similar to that instituted in Hong Kong and Macau. Such a proposal has long been rejected by Taiwan, particularly after Hong Kong’s crushing of the “high degree of autonomy” the regime promised. “The aim is to belittle Taiwan’s international standing, and Hong Kong-ify and Macau-ify Taiwan, to achieve the political objective of eliminating Taiwan’s sovereignty,” said the head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Tsai Ming-yen of the articles. The articles promised peace and economic prosperity, but also warned: “After reunification, risks of war, caused by “Taiwan independence” secessionists, will be removed and external interference will be prevented”. Beijing has also recently added to its various historical revisions, designed to bolster its claim over Taiwan, with the designation of a new national holiday in China. Retrocession day, on 25 October is celebrated in Taiwan to mark the end of Japanese colonial rule, but Beijing has recast it as the day Taiwan was returned to China – specifically the China now ruled by the CCP. Beijing has also become stricter in how it allows other countries to think about Taiwan. After Germany’s foreign minister said his country’s long standing position opposed “violent change” in the status quo that keeps the tenuous peace in the Taiwan Strait, China’s foreign ministry essentially accused them of supporting separatism. “Those who only call for no change of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and do not oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ are actually aiding and abetting ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities,” said foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun. Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the US-based German Marshall Fund, said she had never heard that language from Chinese officials before, and it marked a significant shift. “All these moves, including the activities around the ‘Taiwan retrocession’ Day, suggest that Beijing is more aggressively pressing for progress toward reunification,” said Glaser. Late in October China’s state and social media released a series of satellite photos taken by China’s Jilin-2 satellite of some of Taiwan’s most famous tourist spots – the Alishan mountain range, Sun Moon Lake – and economic centres like capital city Taipei, and the Hsinchu Science Park. The ultra high-definition images were [captioned](https://x.com/ChineseEmbinUS/status/1984316864709689741) “across the strait, under one sky”. The Chinese embassy in the US posted them online with the words: “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory”. “Every inch of Taiwan Province, China, is vibrant under the “Jilin-1” space satellite’s perspective,” it said. Analysts say the message was obvious: Beijing could see “every inch” of Taiwan whenever it wanted. In Taiwan, people and officials called the photos voyeuristic. “If the point that China is trying to make with these satellite pictures is that it owns everything it took pictures of, then that’s just plain immature,” Wang Ting-yu, a Taiwanese legislator from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, told local media. Chinese officials sought to brush off the characterisation. “It is normal for Chinese satellites to look at the magnificent mountains and rivers of China’s Taiwan. There is nothing surprising about it,” Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), said. Raymond Kuo, director of the Rand Corporation’s Taiwan Policy Initiative, said the escalated activity was perhaps more noticeable now, after a period of time in which China had been presenting itself as a stable global neighbour to counter the volatility introduced by the US and others. But there was potentially also strategy behind it. Donald Trump is expected to meet Xi in Beijing in April, and these moves could help “prepare ground” for Xi seeking US concessions on its protection of Taiwan, Kuo said. “Enforcing Taiwan’s isolation could make it easier for Xi to say ‘already no one deals with Taiwan’,” he said. Song Bo, a fellow at Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS), said it was all part of a two to three year “longer-term adjustment” of China’s Taiwan policy, and the lifting of self-imposed limits on how it manages and communicates about Taiwan. “This isn’t about sudden escalation; it’s about China normalising actions it once restrained itself from taking,” said Song. Additional research by Lillian Yang
Shard	99 (laksa)
Root Hash	4161074618625082499
Unparsed URL	com,theguardian!www,/world/2025/nov/12/china-taiwan-statements-longer-term-strategy s443