Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Eric Chu Li-yuan, chairman of Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party, on Friday. The summit between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party (CPC)—the first in a decade and coming roughly a month before a U.S.-China summit—saw both leaders reaffirm their commitment to the One-China principle.
According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, Xi told Chu at the East Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing that "it has been 10 years since our last meeting, and this gathering of leaders from both parties holds significant meaning for party-to-party relations and cross-strait relations."
Chu, visiting China at Xi's invitation, actively displayed his pro-Beijing stance by pledging to prevent the Taiwan Strait from becoming "a chessboard for foreign intervention" and invoking Xi's signature political slogan of a "community of shared destiny."
The two leaders shared a handshake lasting more than 14 seconds. Each delivered opening remarks of approximately 10 minutes before holding a closed-door meeting for about an hour. The meeting was attended by Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the CPC's fourth-ranking official, and Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and fifth in the party hierarchy—reflecting notably high-level diplomatic protocol.
In his opening remarks, Xi stated, "Compatriots on both sides of the strait are all Chinese. It is our shared aspiration for one family to pursue peace, development, exchange, and cooperation." He added that China would "strengthen exchanges and dialogue with Taiwan's political parties including the KMT, various groups, and people from all walks of life, on the shared political foundation of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing Taiwan independence."
The 1992 Consensus refers to an agreement acknowledging One China while allowing each side its own interpretation.
Chu responded, "Although people on both sides of the strait live under different systems, we must respect each other and face one another." He continued, "With the continuous efforts of both parties, the Taiwan Strait will no longer be a potential flashpoint for conflict, and even less will it become a chessboard for foreign intervention."
Chu emphasized that both sides should move beyond political confrontation to jointly explore and build "a cross-strait win-win community of shared destiny," seek institutional solutions to prevent war, and make the Taiwan Strait a model for peaceful dispute resolution.
The KMT-CPC summit was the first since former KMT Chairman Hung Hsiu-chu visited China in 2016. Chu, elected KMT chairman in October last year, has actively expressed his intention to visit China while positioning himself against President Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, who is known for his pro-U.S. and anti-China stance.
Analysts noted that Chu has repeatedly made remarks such as "I should be able to say I am Chinese," demonstrating his pro-Beijing orientation. They also pointed to the KMT's opposition to the DPP-led special defense budget bill as evidence that this visit represents a move to clearly strengthen ties with China.
