Chen Binhua, spokesman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said peaceful reunification would create enormous opportunities for Taiwan’s economic and social development and bring tangible benefits to the people in Taiwan.

That included “better protection of Taiwan’s energy resources, backed by a strong motherland”, Chen said during a media briefing on Wednesday when asked about concerns in Taiwan about the island’s energy supply amid the Iran war.

“The mainland’s abundant power supply is more than sufficient to meet the electricity needs of Taiwan’s companies and can ensure that households across the island are freed from the inconvenience and worries of power shortages and outages during peak seasons,” he said.

Chen said this would effectively address Taiwan’s shortages of electricity, natural gas, crude oil and other energy resources, allowing people to access cheaper, cleaner and more stable energy supplies.

“We are ready to provide stable and reliable energy resource support to our compatriots in Taiwan, ensuring they can lead better lives,” he said.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to arming Taiwan.