CHINA'S "PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION" OF TAIWAN

   BEIJING — China seeks the “peaceful unification” of Taiwan but will not rule out the threat of military action, President Xi Jinping said Wednesday as he described the annexation of the self-ruling U.S. ally as an enduring ambition and an inevitable outcome of China’s rise.
   Xi reiterated an appeal to the 23 million citizens of the island democracy: If Taiwan submits to Chinese rule, he said, it would enjoy its own system of governance under a “one country, two systems” model, much like Hong Kong after it returned to China.
    It’s unclear whether his pitch will sway hearts and minds in Taiwan. Hong Kong, which Xi offered as a model of semi-autonomy, has been wracked by political divisions and street protests precisely over the growing perception that Beijing has reneged on its promise of “one country, two systems,” as its influence is increasingly felt in local politics, elections, courts and media.