To realize national reunification through peaceful means is our first choice to resolve the Taiwan question, said a spokesperson at a press conference in Beijing on Saturday, adding that non-peaceful means will remain the last resort.

Sun Yeli, spokesperson for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, made the remarks ahead of the opening of the congress.

"We are willing to continue working with the greatest sincerity and exerting our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification," Sun said.

In not promising to renounce the use of force, we are in no way targeting our Taiwan compatriots, but rather foreign interference and an extremely small number of "Taiwan independence" elements and their separatist activities, Sun said, adding that the goal is to advance the process of China's peaceful reunification.

Sun urged compatriots across the Taiwan Strait to join hands to resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence" forces and foreign interference, and to open up bright prospects for the peaceful reunification.