Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday said that the Taiwanese people will determine the country’s relationship with China as she seeks a “peaceful coexistence” with the Asian country after Chinese President Xi Jinping said China “will inevitably be reunified” with the self-governing island.

Tsai expressed hope in her 2024 New Year’s address that Taiwan and China will have a stable relationship. “We also hope, by way of peace, parity, democracy, and dialogue, to jointly seek a long-term, stable way forward for our peaceful coexistence,” she said, according to her office, ahead of the country’s Jan. 13 election.

“The most important thing … is to comply with the principles of democracy and make decisions based on the common will of the Taiwanese people. After all, we are a democratic country,” Tsai also said, as translated. “What kind of relationship we will form with China in the future must be decided through [a] democratic process.”

Xi claimed last week that the “great cause and the aspiration of the people” is to reunite Taiwan with China, as Beijing believes Taiwan is a rogue province that it will eventually reunify with.