BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with Cheng Li-yun, a senior leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT).

During the meeting held on Thursday, Xi said China is ready to expand dialogue and exchanges based on a shared political foundation opposing Taiwan independence.

This marks the first meeting in nearly a decade between a top leader of China’s ruling Communist Party of China and the current head of the KMT.

President Xi stated, “People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the same Chinese nation. The country’s territory cannot be divided.”

He added that the purpose of the meeting is to promote the peaceful development of cross strait relations, emphasizing that the future of ties should remain in the hands of the Chinese people.

Emphasis on ‘1992 Consensus’

Both Xi and Cheng stressed the importance of adhering to the “1992 Consensus,” under which both sides acknowledge the “One China” principle, while allowing different interpretations of what “China” means.

Cheng said both sides should demonstrate to the world their ability to resolve differences, calling for the Taiwan Strait to become “a model of peace and conflict resolution.”

She also emphasized the need to establish institutional and sustainable mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation, expressing confidence that such efforts would make peaceful development irreversible and help end conflicts.

Background

Cheng became the KMT leader last November and is currently on a six day visit to China, which runs through Sunday. The last such meeting took place in 2016 between Xi Jinping and former KMT chair Hung Hsiu-chu in Beijing.

The KMT is generally seen as more open to engagement with China, while Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party leans toward independence.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te criticized the meeting, warning that “history shows that compromising with authoritarian regimes risks losing sovereignty and democracy, and does not bring freedom or peace.”

Historical Context

China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, following the Chinese Civil War. After the defeat of nationalist forces led by Chiang Kai-shek, they retreated to Taiwan while Mao Zedong led the Communist Party to power on the mainland.

Beijing continues to view Taiwan as an integral part of its territory and has maintained that it may use force if necessary to achieve reunification.