Chinese and Taiwanese Unity Promised by Xi Jinping
China's President Xi Jinping assures Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun of unity between the two sides.
BEIJING: China’s President Xi Jinping met with Taiwan’s opposition party leader, Cheng Li-wun, in Beijing on Friday.
During their meeting, Xi expressed his 'full confidence' that Taiwanese and Chinese people would unite, emphasizing that this unification is an inevitable part of history.
Cheng, the chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT), is the first party leader to visit China in a decade, though her trip has sparked debate in Taiwan with critics arguing she favors Beijing too much.
China halted high-level exchanges with Taiwan in 2016 following Tsai Ing-wen’s Democratic Progressive Party presidency win.
Tsai rejected Beijing's claim that Taiwan is part of its territory.
Xi stated during their meeting that the growing closeness between people on both sides of the Strait would not change, reaffirming China’s historical narrative.
Cheng responded by expressing hope for the Taiwan Strait to cease being a potential conflict zone.
She advocated for political reconciliation and systemic solutions to prevent war, aiming for the Taiwan Strait to become a model for peaceful conflict resolution globally.
Recent years have seen increased military pressure from Beijing around Taiwan, including near-daily deployments of fighter jets and warships, as well as large-scale military drills.
The deterioration in cross-strait relations has been particularly noticeable since Tsai’s successor, Lai Ching-te, took office, whom Beijing views as a separatist.
Lai criticized China's military actions in the Taiwan Strait for undermining regional peace.
Cheng arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday evening and later visited Nanjing to pay respects at the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, a revolutionary leader revered by both Beijing and Taipei.
Her visit has sparked significant debate about her intentions and implications for Taiwan's future political stance.
During their meeting, Xi expressed his 'full confidence' that Taiwanese and Chinese people would unite, emphasizing that this unification is an inevitable part of history.
Cheng, the chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT), is the first party leader to visit China in a decade, though her trip has sparked debate in Taiwan with critics arguing she favors Beijing too much.
China halted high-level exchanges with Taiwan in 2016 following Tsai Ing-wen’s Democratic Progressive Party presidency win.
Tsai rejected Beijing's claim that Taiwan is part of its territory.
Xi stated during their meeting that the growing closeness between people on both sides of the Strait would not change, reaffirming China’s historical narrative.
Cheng responded by expressing hope for the Taiwan Strait to cease being a potential conflict zone.
She advocated for political reconciliation and systemic solutions to prevent war, aiming for the Taiwan Strait to become a model for peaceful conflict resolution globally.
Recent years have seen increased military pressure from Beijing around Taiwan, including near-daily deployments of fighter jets and warships, as well as large-scale military drills.
The deterioration in cross-strait relations has been particularly noticeable since Tsai’s successor, Lai Ching-te, took office, whom Beijing views as a separatist.
Lai criticized China's military actions in the Taiwan Strait for undermining regional peace.
Cheng arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday evening and later visited Nanjing to pay respects at the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, a revolutionary leader revered by both Beijing and Taipei.
Her visit has sparked significant debate about her intentions and implications for Taiwan's future political stance.