Chinese President Xi Jinping has once again stressed the importance of the One-China policy regarding Taiwan, saying reunification with the island is an unstoppable process.

Self-rule was established in Taiwan by nationalist forces after their defeat in the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Only a handful of nations currently recognize it as independent, and most, including Russia, share Beijing’s stance that the territory is part of China.

“The compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family. No one can break our family bonds, and no one can stop the historical trend of national reunification of the motherland,” Xi said in a televised speech.

The head of state stressed that the process is inevitable, and that people on both sides “should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”

While the US officially adheres to the One-China policy, recognizing Taiwan as part of China, it simultaneously engages in military cooperation with the government in Taipei, provoking indignation from Beijing.

The Chinese government has repeatedly denounced US arms sales to Taipei, accusing Washington of fomenting tensions over the region.