China's defense minister, Wei Fenghe, said on Monday that resolving the "Taiwan question" is his country's "greatest national interest," and that no force could prevent China's "reunification."
Separatist activities are doomed to failure, Wei said at the opening of the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, which China styles as its answer to the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore.
Tensions between China and Taiwan have ratcheted up ahead of the self-ruled island's presidential election in January. Taiwan is China's most sensitive territorial issue.