BEIJING – China said it has taken a historical step towards achieving unification with Taiwan, days after the ruling Communist Party concluded a congress that handed President Xi Jinping another five years in power.

“We’re closer than ever in history – and we’re more confident and capable than ever – to realising national rejuvenation,” Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Ma Xiaoguang told a regular news briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.

“Similarly, we’re also closer than ever in history – as well as more confident and capable – to realising the complete reunification of the motherland,” he added.

Mr Ma was answering a question about the wide-ranging policy speech Mr Xi delivered at the beginning of the congress, during which his comments on Taiwan received some of the loudest applause.

Mr Xi said during the address that the “wheels of history are rolling on towards China’s reunification” with Taiwan.

“The complete reunification of our country must be realised, and it can without a doubt be realised,” he added, without specifying a timeframe.

Taiwan’s top diplomat said on Wednesday that the congress’ outcome suggests China is ramping up its diplomatic “attacks” on Taiwan, including snatching more of the island’s few remaining diplomatic allies.

In a report to Parliament, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said he expected Beijing to ramp up its “security threat and diplomatic suppression” on the island, which is claimed by China as its own territory.

“China is likely to increase its attacks and threats on Taiwan, especially in the diplomatic field,” Mr Wu told lawmakers. “This is what we are worried about.”

He said Taiwan has received “signs” and intelligence from unspecified diplomatic allies that China is boosting efforts to lure the island’s allies into switching official recognition to Beijing.

“The diplomatic challenges we are facing are getting bigger and bigger,” he added. “Looking forward, our situation is becoming more difficult.”

Under Mr Wu’s term, six countries have switched official recognition from Taipei to Beijing, which says Taiwan has no right to state-to-state ties.

Only 14 countries now officially recognise the island’s government, mostly poor and developing countries in the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Beijing and Taipei have accused each other of using “dollar diplomacy” to lure countries into building official ties with them.

China has stepped up diplomatic and military pressure to try to force Taiwan to accept Chinese rule. 

Taiwan’s government says only the island’s 23 million people can decide their future, and that as Taiwan has never been ruled by the People’s Republic of China its sovereignty claims are void. BLOOMBERG, REUTERS