Indo-Pacific — 2026-04-10

Xi Jinping Meets Taiwan Opposition Leader in Rare Beijing Encounter

Chinese President Xi Jinping met KMT chief Cheng Li-wun at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, the first such encounter in over a decade. Both sides affirmed support for "peaceful reunification," though details remain vague. Cheng's self-described "journey for peace" drew sharp criticism from Taiwan's ruling DPP, which accused the KMT of undermining national security. The meeting coincided with increased Chinese military activity around Taiwan, including warship patrols and warplane sorties.

Analysis
Beijing's simultaneous peace rhetoric in the Great Hall and warship patrols near Taiwan is a classic dual-track approach: engage the opposition while pressuring the ruling party. The visit gives Xi domestic propaganda material and undermines DPP legitimacy. The timing, while global attention is fixed on Iran, reduces international scrutiny of cross-strait dynamics.

2 sources

Taiwan's opposition leader meets China's Xi Jinping as both sides call for peace - News4Jax (AP)
Xi-Cheng Meeting Shows China Still Sees Taiwan as a Solvable Dispute - Foreign Policy