Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun met Xi Jinping in Beijing on the fourth day of her six-day mainland visit, marking the first meeting between the two parties' leaders in nine years. In a press conference, she described the talks as the KMT's initial step to defuse cross-strait tensions, calling it a "choice of war or peace." Analysts say the encounter reaffirms the 1992 consensus but hinges on the KMT regaining power in Taiwan.
Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun met Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping in Beijing on Saturday, marking the first encounter between the two parties' leaders in nine years. This occurred during her six-day mainland visit—her first as KMT chair and the first such trip by a KMT leader in a decade—that began with arrival in Shanghai on April 8 amid heightened cross-strait military tensions.
At a press conference following the meeting, Cheng said her party had taken the initial step to de-escalate tensions and hoped that "no political party in Taiwan uses cross-strait peace as a tool" for votes. She framed the dialogue as a "choice of war or peace" and kept the door open for other parties prioritizing regional stability over the "selfish interests" of one entity. Cheng highlighted reaffirmation of the 1992 consensus, a verbal understanding that both sides of the strait belong to one China, with differing interpretations.
Zhu Songling, a professor at Beijing Union University’s Institute of Taiwan Studies, described the core achievement as upholding the political foundations for dialogue—adherence to the 1992 consensus and opposition to Taiwan independence. He noted the visit helps rebuild a multilevel communication framework spanning grassroots to high-level leadership, especially between the Communist Party and the KMT.
Analysts from mainland China and Taiwan broadly agree the meeting signals a revival of cross-strait engagement mechanisms, though they differ on implications. Many say its impact largely depends on the KMT regaining power in Taiwan.
