Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee General Secretary Xi Jinping's remarks during his meeting with Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, have drawn broad acclaim across Taiwan society.
Xi met with Cheng in Beijing on Friday.
Invited by the CPC Central Committee and Xi, Cheng is the first KMT chairperson to have led a delegation to the Chinese mainland in the past decade. The delegation had visited Jiangsu Province and Shanghai before coming to Beijing.
At the meeting, 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 Taiwan 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 secession.
Ji Xin, publisher of The Observer magazine in Taiwan, applauded Xi's remarks and emphasized the importance of resolutely opposing external interference in Taiwan affairs under the current circumstances.
"I think several points of General Secretary Xi's remarks are very impressive, especially the call for both sides of the Strait to pursue peaceful development and for the Chinese people to firmly hold the future of cross-Strait relations. I believe Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun would agree with those points. General Secretary Xi also emphasized four 'Noes' -- No division of the Chinese territory, No descending of the country into chaos, No fragmentation of the nation, and No fracture of Chinese civilization. It is precisely with such shared convictions that the Chinese nation can strive for continuous self-improvement and Chinese civilization can endure and flourish," Ji said.
"The two sides of the Strait belong to one China. Yet, external interference remains a challenge under today's global circumstances. Therefore, General Secretary Xi emphasized the importance of opposing both external interference and Taiwan secession," she said.
In his remarks, Xi also 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 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.
Wu Cherng-dean, chairman of the New Party, agrees with Xi's remarks, noting that cross-Strait cooperation is a win-win for both sides.
"I think the general secretary has made some very good points. People on both sides share a deep sense of national kinship. We are brothers and there is nothing we can't work out. I wish you well, and you wish me well. We should join hands and work together for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. As I often say, with Taiwan, the mainland will be like a tiger with wings, and with the mainland, Taiwan's arena expands by hundreds or even thousands of times," Wu said.
At the meeting, Xi said Taiwan compatriots are welcome to visit the mainland. 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.
Many in Taiwan, especially young people, said Xi's words have impressed them and motivated them to consider visiting, studying or working on the mainland.
"I believe the mainland provides a much larger stage for students from Taiwan, whether they want to study or work there. Promoting cross-Strait exchanges will give young people in Taiwan a better and broader future. Personally, I hope such exchanges will bring more travel convenience for me, or maybe even opportunities to study or work on the mainland. Anything is possible," said a young Taiwan resident.
"For a period, the mainland has streamlined travel procedures for visitors from Taiwan, offering preferential treatment to 'first-time visitors', all in the hope that people from Taiwan can come to the mainland and witness the progress of the motherland. I believe this is also a message that General Secretary Xi intends to express to the people of Taiwan," said Xie Zhichuan, a current affairs commentator.
Xi's remarks during meeting with KMT leader draw broad acclaim across Taiwan society
