China's Xi talks peace with Taiwan's opposition leader even as Beijing raises military pressure
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with Taiwan’s main opposition leader, Cheng Li-wun, emphasizing shared culture and declaring Taiwan's unification with the mainland a "historical inevitability."
- The meeting occurred amid rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait due to Chinese military drills and U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, signaling China's intent to showcase political influence over Taiwan ahead of President Trump’s anticipated visit to Beijing.
- Cheng, chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT), expressed a pragmatic approach to improving cross-strait relations and stressed the need to prevent war, marking a significant shift from her earlier pro-independence activism.
- Xi criticized Taiwan’s current government under President Lai Ching-te, labeling "Taiwan independence" as the main threat to peace in the region and reaffirmed China’s firm stance against it.
- Despite the contentious issue of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, Cheng’s meeting with Xi reportedly did not address the subject, while her opposition to increased Taiwanese defense spending has stalled budget approval and complicated U.S. arms deals.
