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 chair Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday, the first encounter between Xi and a sitting Taiwanese opposition leader in nearly a decade. In a readout released by Chinese state media, Xi said Beijing "welcomes any proposals conducive to the peaceful development of cross-strait relations." That's according to a CNBC translation of the statement in Chinese. Xi also reiterated that "'Taiwan independence' is the primary threat undermining stability across the Taiwan Strait," calling on party leaders on the mainland and Taiwan to oppose "separatism and foreign interference." Cheng took the helm last October of the largest opposition party at a time of rising military and political tensions with the mainland. Her trip to Beijing came as the KMT seeks to position itself as a viable interlocutor with the mainland ahead of Taiwan's 2028 presidential election. The tone of Beijing's official readout marked a meaningful shift, said Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management. "The message reduces the risk of military conflict across the Taiwan Strait and is beneficial for both mainland China and Taiwan," Zhang said, adding that it signaled Beijing's preference for a peaceful approach to cross-strait relations. In the statement, Xi reiterated that the mainland and Taiwan share an ethnic and cultural identity that political differences cannot sever, while stressing that the "One China" principle remains the non-negotiable basis for any engagement. The Chinese leader called for broader economic, trade and cultural exchanges, vowing to deepen "political mutual trust" and keep communication channels open. The meeting comes ahead of a planned visit by U.S.

President Donald Trump in May, where he is expected to meet Xi to discuss a broad swath of issues, including trade, fentanyl flows and Taiwan.Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and regards the matter as an internal affair, a position it has used to push back against what it characterizes as interference by Washington and its allies, including Japan.Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party said Cheng has misrepresented Taiwanese public opinion in her trip to China and accused the KMT of undermining national security.Cheng described her trip to Beijing as part of a strategy of "deterrence through dialogue," pledging that her party would seek to resume broad cross-strait exchanges, including tourism and political engagement, if it returns to power in 2028. “The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the shared rejuvenation of people on both sides of the strait," Cheng said during the meeting with Xi, according to Taiwanese local media. Beijing and Taipei should work on building sustainable mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation, she said, adding that both sides should move beyond political confrontation to prevent a war. Cheng's leadership of the KMT rests partly on an appeal to shared Chinese heritage and a calculation — held by some in Taiwan's business community — that President Lai Ching-te's pro-independence posture has provoked an unnecessary confrontation with Beijing at a moment when Washington's attention is elsewhere, said Michael Feller, chief strategist at Geopolitical Strategy.The KMT has stalled a $40 billion special defense budget proposed by Lai, which would fund a multi-layered air defense system designed to counter a potential Chinese military incursion. Trump's military actions in Venezuela and Iran, along with his threats over Greenland, have prompted some to draw parallels with Beijing's posture toward Taiwan — though analysts say the risk of near-term mainland aggression remains limited."The risk of sudden mainland aggression against Taiwan is lower than many in Washington commonly assume," said Gabriel Wildau, managing director at Teneo. "China's leadership believes the balance of military power and overall strategic influence is shifting inexorably in Beijing's favor."The Iran conflict has introduced fresh uncertainty, but Wildau said the more consequential inflection point lies further out. If the DPP wins a fourth consecutive presidential term in 2028 and Xi secures another term at the 2027 Party Congress, "Xi might conclude that peaceful unification is no longer viable," he said.Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you.Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inboxGet this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services.© 2026 Versant Media, LLC.

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