Xi Jinping Meets Taiwan's KMT Leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday, marking the first meeting between leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) and Taiwan's main opposition party in a decade.

During the meeting, Xi emphasized the importance of the 'One China' policy, stating that 'people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all Chinese, and the future of cross-strait relations lies in the hands of the Chinese people.' He also highlighted that 'no matter how the international landscape and the situation across the Taiwan Strait may evolve, the overarching trend toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will not change.'

Cheng's visit, which began on April 7, included stops in Jiangsu Province and Shanghai before arriving in Beijing. In Nanjing, she paid respects at Sun Yat-sen's mausoleum, invoking the legacy of the revolutionary figure to advocate for dialogue amid rising cross-strait tensions.

This meeting comes ahead of a planned visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing in May, where discussions are expected to cover a range of issues, including trade and Taiwan.

The KMT, traditionally favoring closer ties with Beijing, has been positioning itself as a viable interlocutor with the mainland ahead of Taiwan's 2028 presidential election. Cheng's visit underscores the party's commitment to engaging in dialogue to promote peaceful cross-strait relations.