China’s Xi invokes ‘threat’ of Taiwan independence in first cross-strait opposition talks in a decade

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Kuomintang party chief Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday; This was the first encounter between Xi and a Taiwanese opposition leader in nearly a decade.

One reading In a statement published by Chinese state media, Xi said Beijing “welcomes any proposals that will help the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.” This is according to CNBC’s Chinese translation of the statement.

Xi also called on party leaders on the mainland and in Taiwan to oppose “separatism and foreign interference”, reiterating that “Taiwan independence” is the primary threat undermining stability in the Taiwan Strait.

cheng took over management last October He was the leader of the largest opposition party at a time when military and political tensions with the mainland were increasing. The Beijing visit comes as the KMT seeks to position itself as a viable interlocutor on the mainland ahead of Taiwan’s 2028 presidential elections.

Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management, said the tone of Beijing’s official statement signals a meaningful shift. “This message reduces the risk of military conflict across the Taiwan Strait and is beneficial to both mainland China and Taiwan,” Zhang said, adding that it signals Beijing’s preference for a peaceful approach in cross-strait relations.

In the statement, Xi reiterated that the mainland and Taiwan share an ethnic and cultural identity that political differences cannot separate, and emphasized that the “One China” principle remains the non-negotiable basis for any engagement.

The Chinese leader called for broader economic, trade and cultural exchanges, pledging to deepen “mutual political trust” and keep communication channels open.

The meeting comes ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned visit in May, when he is expected to meet with Xi to discuss a wide range of issues, including trade, fentanyl flows and Taiwan.

Beijing claims Taiwan is part of its territory and views the issue as an internal matter; He used this stance to push back against what he described as interference by Washington and its allies, including Japan.

MPs from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party Misrepresentation of Taiwanese public opinion During his trip to China, he accused the KMT of undermining national security.

Cheng described his visit to Beijing as part of a strategy. “Deterrence through dialogue” He has promised that his party will seek to maintain broad cross-strait contacts, including tourism and political participation, if it comes to power in 2028.

During his meeting with Xi, Cheng said: “The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the joint rejuvenation of the people on both sides of the Strait.” According to Taiwanese local media. Beijing and Taipei should try to establish sustainable mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation, he said, adding that both sides should move beyond political conflict to prevent a war.

Michael Feller, chief strategist at Geopolitical Strategy, said Cheng’s leadership of the KMT was based in part on an appeal to common Chinese heritage and a calculation by some in Taiwan’s business community that President Lai Ching-te’s pro-independence stance was leading to an unnecessary conflict with Beijing at a moment when Washington’s attention was elsewhere.

The KMT has stalled a $40 billion special defense budget proposed by Lai that would have funded a multilayered air defense system designed to counter a potential Chinese military attack.

Trump’s military actions in Venezuela and Iran and his threats against Greenland have led some to draw parallels with Beijing’s stance toward Taiwan; But analysts say the risk of aggression against the mainland remains limited in the short term.

“The risk of a sudden attack against Taiwan from the mainland is lower than many in Washington generally assume,” said Teneo chief executive Gabriel Wildau. “The Chinese leadership believes that the balance of military power and overall strategic influence has inevitably shifted in Beijing’s favor.”

The Iran conflict has created new uncertainty, but Wildau said the more significant turning point is further away. If the DPP wins a fourth consecutive presidential term in 2028 and Xi wins another term at the 2027 Party Congress, “Xi may conclude that peaceful unification is no longer valid,” he said.