People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese and the future of relations lies in the hands of the Chinese people, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) told Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) in Beijing today.
Cheng is in China on what she has called a "peace" mission to reduce tensions at a time when Beijing has stepped up military pressure against Taiwan.
Meeting in the Great Hall of the People, Xi told Cheng that today's world is not entirely at peace, and peace is precious.
Photo: AP
"Compatriots on both sides of the Strait are all Chinese — people of one family who want peace, development, exchange and cooperation," he said, in comments carried by Taiwanese television stations.
"This is the common voice of our people. The leaders of our two parties are meeting today in order to safeguard the peace and stability of our shared homeland, to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and to allow future generations to share in a bright and beautiful future," Xi said.
China is willing, on the common political foundation of opposing Taiwanese independence, to strengthen exchange and dialogue together with several political parties, including the KMT, “to firmly hold the future of cross-strait relations in the hands of the Chinese people themselves,” he said.
China refuses to talk to President William Lai (賴清德), saying he is a "separatist."
Lai's Democratic Progressive Party administration has called on Cheng to tell China to stop its threats, and says that Beijing should engage with Taiwan’s democratically elected government.
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