In a recent speech, China's President Xi Jinping has called for the people of Taiwan to accept the country's unification with China.

He reiterated Beijing's call for peaceful unification to become a single-country-two-systems basis, similar to Hong Kong.

President Xi also warned that China reserved the right to use force to achieve their resolve.

Although Taiwan is self-governed and de-facto independent, it has never formally declared independence from mainland China.

China still considers the island (Taiwan) to be a breakaway province.

Taiwanese people "must understand that independence will only bring hardship," mentioned President Xi

People of Taiwan have voiced resentment over the situation.

"I would like to call on China to face squarely the reality of the existence of the Republic of China on Taiwan. China should respect the insistence of 23 million people on freedom and democracy, and must use peaceful, on parity means to handle our differences", mentioned Tsai Ing-wen, president of Taiwan

In recent years, Beijing has won over more and more of Taipei's few international allies to cut diplomatic ties and force unifications with China instead.

Last year, China also forced foreign airlines and hotels to list Taiwan as part of China on their websites.

Beijing has become increasingly assertive over its claims and what it says is a key question of national sovereignty.