Delivering what some say is his strongest warning yet to Taiwanese pro-independence leaders, China's President Xi Jinping on Sunday vowed to protect the country's territorial integrity by stamping out any move to declare Taiwan's independence from the mainland.

Xi issued the warning during a gathering of delegates at the annual meeting of the Chinese parliament.  The yearly conference of Chinese lawmakers opened in Beijing last Thursday.

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"We will resolutely contain 'Taiwan independence' secessionist activities in any form, safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and never allow the historical tragedy of the nation being split to happen again," Xi said in apparent reference to the Japanese takeover of the island in 1895.

One China

China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province to be brought under control by force if necessary.  Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), led by President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, considers Taiwan an independent nation, but sees no need to provoke Beijing by making a formal declaration of independence.

Tsai's stunning landslide victory in Taiwan's elections in January has been seen by many as a turning point in the island's bid to break free from the grip of the Chinese mainland - a signal that Taiwan is coming of age as a democracy.

This has disturbed China's leadership, and ignited fears that Tsai's presidency -- which formally begins this May -- could bring instability, perhaps even military confrontation, across the Formosa Strait.  

Relations between Taiwan and China have seen a marked improvement over the past eight years, culminating in the historic meeting between Xi and Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou in Singapore late last year.

Beijing now argues the meeting was only possible because Ma's KMT party had accepted the idea of "one China" in 1992.  Tsai has openly rejected that policy, insisting that Taiwan has its own national identity.

"National Identity"

"Our democratic system, national identity and international airspace must be respected," Tsai said in her victory speech before the international press in January. "Any forms of suppression will harm the stability of cross-strait relations."

Taiwan's president-elect, however, has pledged that her administration will rise above party politics, maintain peaceful relations with Beijing and refrain from doing anything that might escalate tensions between the two sides.

"Following the will and consensus of the Taiwanese people, we will work to maintain the status quo for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait in order to bring the greatest benefits and well-being to the Taiwanese people," said Tsai in the same speech.

Beijing nevertheless remains deeply suspicious of Taiwan's first female president, and has -- since the run up to the elections -- repeatedly reminded both the people and leaders of the island of its readiness to clamp down on Taiwan's pro-independence movement.  Taiwan, Beijing insists, is part of China, and will one day be reintegrated into the mainland. 

"Compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Strait are expecting the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, and we should not disappoint them," Xi said on Sunday.

Analysts agree that Tsai and her team will face serious economic challenges when she assumes office in May. 

Despite its status as a rising economy, Taiwan has the worst performance among the four "tigers" of Asia, lagging far behind South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong.  Taiwan's growth rate has been pinned at around two percent for nearly 20 years.

TagsChina-Taiwan relations, President Xi Jinping, Tsai Ing-wen