A gathering to commemorate the 40th anniversary of issuing Message to Compatriots in Taiwan is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Jan 2, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at a gathering held Wednesday in Beijing to commemorate the 40th anniversary of issuing Message to Compatriots in Taiwan.

Here are highlights of President Xi's speech:

Resolving Taiwan question, complete reunification a historic task



Since 1949, the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Chinese government and the Chinese people have always unwaveringly taken resolving the Taiwan question to realize China's complete reunification as a historic task, President Xi Jinping said.

Breakthroughs in cross-Straits relations over 70 years

Over the 70 years, estrangement between the mainland and Taiwan was ended in line with the common will of compatriots across the Straits, and Taiwan compatriots have made great contributions to the reform and opening-up in the mainland, said Xi.

During the seven decades, the mainland and Taiwan reached the 1992 Consensus based on the one-China principle, and the political exchanges across the Straits have reached new heights, Xi said.

Over the 70 years, the basic principles of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems" were established, and the basic policy of upholding "one country, two systems" and advancing the national reunification was laid out, according to Xi.

He continued that more and more countries and peoples have understood and supported the cause of the reunification of China over the 70 years.

Furthermore, over the 70 years, a series of major victories in the battles against "Taiwan independence" and separatists have been achieved, Xi said.

Cross-Straits reunification an irresistible trend

The historical and legal facts, that Taiwan is part of China and the two sides across Taiwan Straits belong to one and the same China, can never be altered by anyone or any force, said Xi.

The fact that compatriots across the Straits are all Chinese who share natural kinship and national identity can never be changed by anyone or any force, Xi added.

The peaceful and stable development of cross-Straits situations and the progress of cross-Straits relations are the tide of the time that can never be stopped by anyone or any force, said Xi.

China must be, will be reunified

"It is a historical conclusion drawn over the 70 years of the development of cross-Straits relations, and a must for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in the new era," he said.

He called on Chinese people across the Taiwan Straits as well as at home and abroad to work together for the Chinese nation's greater good and go with the tide of history, to jointly push forward the peaceful development of the cross-Strait relations and advance the process toward the peaceful reunification of China.