Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted the leader of Taiwan's main opposition party on Friday, in a rare meeting where both sides stressed their desire for peace in the Taiwan Strait.
Cheng Li-wun is the first sitting Kuomintang leader to visit China in a decade. In 2016, Beijing cut off high-level communications with Taiwan after Tsai Ing-wen of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party became president, citing her refusal to support the concept of a single Chinese nation.
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Letter to the Reader — Why We're Asking for Your Support ContributeThe president's party has criticized Cheng's trip, accusing him of subservience to Beijing.
Xi said the meeting between the two leaders of the two parties is being held with the aim of safeguarding the peace and stability of the common homeland.
He added that China was willing to strengthen exchanges and dialogue with various parties, including the Kuomintang, on the condition that they oppose Taiwan independence.
Xi also reiterated that those on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese and that they all wanted peace.
In response, Cheng said that the revival of the Chinese people is the common aspiration of the people on both sides of the Strait. Beijing officially claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out taking the island by force.