Xi Jinping urges Taiwan 'reunification' in message to newly elected opposition leader

Xi’s message to Taiwan opposition leader sparks political stir in Taipei

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for renewed efforts to advance “reunification” with Taiwan in a congratulatory message to the newly elected leader of the island’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), whose election has drawn scrutiny amid allegations of Beijing’s interference.

Former lawmaker Cheng Li-wun, who won Saturday’s leadership race and is set to take charge of the KMT on November 1, assumes office amid heightened cross-strait tensions. Beijing continues to consider Taiwan part of its territory, while Taipei rejects China’s sovereignty claims.

In his message, Xi, in his capacity as head of the Communist Party of China, said the KMT and the Communist Party should “consolidate their common political foundation” and “unite the vast majority of people in Taiwan to deepen exchanges and cooperation, boost common development, and advance national reunification,” according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Cheng, in her reply, avoided any reference to reunification, saying instead that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait were “members of the Chinese nation,” an expression referring to shared ethnicity rather than political identity.

The KMT has long supported closer ties with Beijing and remains China’s preferred interlocutor, while the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) under President Lai Ching-te maintains that Taiwan’s future should be decided solely by its people.

“Both parties should, in light of the current situation, strengthen cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation on the existing foundation (and) promote peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” Cheng said, according to a party statement.

Cheng, 55, opposes increasing Taiwan’s defense spending, a key policy of President Lai, and won the leadership vote over the KMT establishment candidate, former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin. The campaign was overshadowed by accusations of Chinese interference, as Jaw Shau-kong, a key supporter of Hau and the KMT’s vice presidential candidate last year, said social media accounts had spread disinformation about Hau.

China has said the election was a KMT matter, and online comments do not reflect an official stance. Jaw, writing on his Facebook account, emphasized that the KMT must reduce pro-China influence and that the majority of Taiwanese favor peaceful relations and dialogue with China.

(With agency inputs)