By Susie Beever China’s leader has used his New Year’s speech to make a chilling hint at a “reunification” with separated Taiwan. Xi Jinping gave his televised address, saying the nation would “surely be reunified” with the island of 23million people. While Taiwan has never formally declared itself independent, its current government vows it is – in spite of China claiming it as a province. The island split from the mainland in 1949 during the civil war. But in recent years, Mr Xi’s administration has been increasingly asserting its sovereignty over Taiwan through ramped-up military pressure, …