China’s Xi calls for ‘reunification’ after Taiwan vote
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for efforts to advance “reunification” in a congratulatory message to the new leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party, whose election was held amid accusations of Beijing’s interference.
Cheng Li-wun, a former lawmaker who will take over the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) party on November 1, won Saturday’s election at a time of rising tensions with Beijing, which claims the democratically governed island as its own territory. Taiwan’s government strongly opposes China’s claims to sovereignty.
The KMT has traditionally supported close relations with China and is Beijing’s preferred dialogue partner. China refuses to talk to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership, calling him “separatist”.
In a message Sunday as chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi told Cheng that the two parties should strengthen their “common political foundation,” the official Xinhua news agency reported.
He added that both sides should “unite the vast majority of people in Taiwan to deepen exchange and cooperation, enhance common development, and advance national reunification.”
Cheng did not mention unification with Beijing in his message to Xi, but said both sides of the Taiwan Strait are “members of the Chinese nation” and used an expression in Chinese that refers to ethnicity rather than nationality.
“In light of the current situation, both sides should strengthen cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation on the existing basis (and) promote peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” Cheng said, according to the party’s statement. he said.
While the KMT lost the presidential election last year, the party and its ally, the smaller Taiwan People’s Party, together hold the most seats in parliament.
Cheng, 55, opposes Lai’s major policy plan to increase Taiwan’s defense spending and won the leadership vote against KMT establishment candidate Hau Lung-bin, the former Taipei mayor.
The campaign was overshadowed by accusations that China was interfering in the election by Jaw Shau-kong, a key supporter of Hau who was the KMT’s vice-presidential candidate last year. Jaw said social media accounts were spreading disinformation about Hau.
China said on Wednesday that the election was a KMT matter and the online comments did not represent an official stance.
Writing on his Facebook account on Sunday, Jaw said the KMT should reduce its pro-China influence and that the majority of Taiwanese want peaceful relations and dialogue with China.
“The KMT must recognize that the elections were held in Taiwan and that the voters are in Taiwan, not in mainland China,” Jaw said. he added.
Late Saturday, DPP spokesman Justin Wu said there were clear signs that China was interfering in the KMT elections but dismissed the comments.
