BEIJING, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met on Friday with Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, in the first meeting between the leaders of the two parties in a decade, calling for joint efforts to promote cross-Strait peace and oppose "Taiwan independence."
Meeting Cheng in the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing, Xi stressed that no matter how the international landscape and the situation across the Taiwan Strait may evolve, the overarching trend toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will not change, and the prevailing momentum bringing the Chinese on both sides of the Strait closer together will not change.
Xi said that people on both sides of the Strait hope for peace and tranquility, improved cross-Strait relations, and better lives.
"This is a responsibility that the CPC and the KMT cannot shirk, and also a driving force for the two parties to work together," he said.
The Taiwan question is a scar left over by a full-blown civil war fought between the forces led by the CPC and the KMT about eight decades ago. In 1949, the remnants of the defeated KMT retreated to Taiwan, and the People's Republic of China was founded under the leadership of the CPC.
The unresolved civil war and foreign interference have left the two sides of the Strait in a prolonged state of political confrontation. However, the fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory has never changed.
On Friday, Xi stressed that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the Chinese nation.
The Chinese people of all ethnic groups including Taiwan compatriots, Xi said, have jointly forged the shared belief that "the territory cannot be divided, the country cannot be destabilized, the nation cannot be separated, and the civilization cannot be interrupted."
Xi expressed the willingness to work with all political parties in Taiwan, including the KMT, as well as groups and people from all sectors, to strengthen exchanges and dialogue, promote peace across the Strait, improve the well-being of the people and advance national rejuvenation, on the basis of the common political foundation of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence."
Wang Huning, Cai Qi and other officials attended the meeting.
CLOSER BONDS, SHARED HOMELAND
In Friday's meeting, Xi put forward a set of proposals for advancing cross-Strait relations.
He called for forging closer bonds across the Strait by upholding a correct understanding of identity. "Differences in social systems should not be an excuse for secession," Xi said.
Xi also called for safeguarding the shared homeland through peaceful development. The core issue for safeguarding the shared homeland lies in recognizing that both sides of the Strait belong to one China, he said.
"We welcome any proposals conducive to the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and will spare no effort to advance any endeavors that promote such development," Xi said, adding that "Taiwan independence" is the chief culprit undermining peace across the Strait. "We should neither condone nor tolerate it."
Xi called for fostering the well-being of the people through exchanges and integration.
Taiwan compatriots are welcome to visit the mainland, Xi said. He encouraged young people in Taiwan to seek development opportunities on the mainland.
Taiwan agricultural and fishery products, as well as other high-quality goods, are welcome to enter the mainland market, he added.
Xi called for joint efforts to achieve national rejuvenation. "We firmly believe that more and more Taiwan compatriots will gain a correct understanding of the mainland's social system and development path," he said.
"They will recognize that Taiwan's development prospects hinge on a strong motherland, and that the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots are closely linked to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," he added.
Xi expressed the mainland's willingness to share its development opportunities and achievements with Taiwan compatriots and jointly build a stronger Chinese economy.
ONE FAMILY
Cheng told Xi in their meeting that people on both sides of the Strait are Chinese and belong to one family.
The KMT and the CPC should uphold the common political foundation of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," strengthen mutual political trust, preserve Chinese history, promote Chinese culture, and expand exchanges and cooperation across all fields, Cheng said.
She called for efforts to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, foster a brighter future for ties across the Strait, and advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
"I am willing to do anything as long as it helps promote peace across the Strait," Cheng told the press after the meeting with Xi.
Invited by the CPC Central Committee and Xi, Cheng led a KMT delegation on a mainland visit beginning Tuesday.
In Nanjing, an ancient capital, they paid tribute at the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, a founding figure of the KMT and a revered revolutionary leader who played a pivotal role in overthrowing imperial rule in China and dedicated his life to the pursuit of national rejuvenation and unification.
In Shanghai, the delegation got a glimpse of the vitality of a mainland metropolis as they sampled milk tea delivered by drone and toured cabins of domestically developed passenger aircraft at a research institute of an aviation manufacturer.
The delegation will continue its visit in Beijing before returning to Taiwan on Sunday. ■
