China has designated Oct. 25 as the Commemoration Day of Taiwan’s Restoration, a new national observance intended to reinforce Beijing’s sovereignty claim over the self-ruled island. The measure was approved Friday in Beijing during a session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress,

CBC News visited Taiwan’s Kinmen islands, which are just a few kilometres across the bay from the Chinese city of Xiamen. The islands have been on the frontline of hostilities between China and Taiwan for more than seven decades.

BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) -China "absolutely will not" rule out using force over Taiwan, a government spokesperson said on Wednesday, striking a much tougher tone than a series of articles in state media this week that pledged benign rule if the island comes over to Beijing.