China's Xi Jinping sharpens Taiwan message ahead of National Day holiday

China began its seven-day National Day holiday on Thursday after President Xi Jinping used his annual opening speech to sharpen Beijing's message on Taiwan.

Speaking at the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday, on the eve of the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Xi said Beijing must "resolutely crack down on 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, oppose interference from external forces" and "advance the great cause of national reunification."

The language is harder than in Xi's speech last year, when he said Beijing "firmly opposes" independence activities.

The shift comes days after Xi's state visit to Washington, where he urged President Donald Trump to outright "oppose" Taiwan independence, and to limit Washington's support for the self-ruled island that Beijing claims its own. That wording would be stronger than the longstanding U.S. position of not supporting Taiwan independence.

"It has been speculated for more than a year that Xi would do this, but it was the first time we saw him do it," said Allan von Mehren, China economist at Danske Bank.

The Trump administration paused a $14 billion Taiwan arms package in May and has struck a less supportive tone toward the island over the past year.

Martyrs' Day, flag-raising

State leaders, including Xi, presented flower baskets at the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square on Wednesday, the country's Martyrs' Day, a day before National Day. Xi walked around the monument in tribute to fallen national heroes, according to photos published by state media.

Crowds in Beijing gathered on Thursday morning to watch the People's Liberation Army honor guard escort the national flag to Tian'anmen Square, with a military band playing the national anthem and thousands of doves released into the sky.

Golden Week travel

Travelers and city workers are heading out for the holiday, which runs from Thursday through next Wednesday. Workers often stretch the break to 13 days, by taking leave from Monday to Wednesday, spanning the Mid-Autumn Festival on Friday.

China's Ministry of Transport projects about 2.13 billion trips over the holiday week, or roughly 300 million a day.

Daily border crossings are forecast to average about 2.16 million. Bookings for domestic flights over 2,000 kilometers are up about 14%, and international ticket bookings are up 22.5% from a year earlier, according to official figures.

Golden Week is typically a gauge of domestic consumption, but years of subdued consumer demand mean heavy travel may not translate into bigger spending. Trip volumes and revenue rose during last year's holiday but remained around 3% lower than in 2019 before the pandemic, according to Goldman Sachs.

The authorities in Hong Kong expect 7.4 million passenger trips in and out of the city over the upcoming week, and Macau anticipates more than 5 million trips during the holiday.

At a celebration event in Hong Kong on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee said the city's first five-year plan would help it "share the rhythm of China's growth."