Cheng Li-wun, the leader of Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday, capping off her trip to China this week that she has called a "peace" mission to reduce tensions. 

Considered a proponent of closer ties with Beijing, Cheng is the first KMT leader to visit China in a decade, amid tensions over Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), whose leadership Beijing doesn't recognize.

Beijing has framed Cheng's visit as a signal that there is political space in Taiwan for Chinese interests. Beijing considers Taiwan to be a breakaway Chinese province that should be "reunited" with the mainland. Xi has said that he prefers this be done diplomatically, but also frequently threatens the use of force.

'No tolerance' for Taiwan independence

Xi reiterated his position during talks with Cheng on Friday, calling for efforts to advance "reunification," while warning that China would "absolutely not tolerate" independence for Taiwan.

The Chinese leader also told Cheng that "the general trend of compatriots on both sides of the Strait getting closer, edging nearer and becoming united will not change."

"This is an inevitable part of history," Xi said during the talks, as reported by Taiwanese media.

He also said China was willing to strengthen dialogue with groups in Taiwan, including the KMT, on the "common political foundation of ... opposing Taiwan independence."

"The KMT and Communist Party must consolidate political mutual trust … unite compatriots on both sides of the strait, and join hands to create a ​bright future of … reunification," he said.

Cheng echoed Xi's stance, telling reporters after the talks that by "opposing Taiwan independence, we can avoid war."

She also told Xi earlier that the Taiwan Strait would "no longer be a focal point of potential conflict" and "both sides should transcend political confrontation."

Political pressure on Taiwan

China severed high-level contact with Taiwan in 2016 after the DPP's Tsai Ing-wen won the presidency and publicly rejected Beijing's claims to the island.

Since then, cross-strait relations have steadily deteriorated. China carries out regular large-scale military drills around Taiwan using fighter jets and warships to sometimes simulate a blockade of the island.

Since the DPP's Lai Ching-te took over for Tsai after the January 2024 elections, Beijing has refused to speak with him, and has lambasted Lai as a "separatist."

KMT blocks defense spending bill

The 2024 elections also resulted in a divided government, as the KMT was able to form a de facto coalition with the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), which together hold the majority of seats in Taiwan's parliament.

The opposition has used that clout to block progress on passing a $40 billion special defense budgetput forth by the DPP, which continues to control Taiwan's executive branch and the presidency.

Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo warned lawmakers on Thursday that the budget is needed to counter an acute threat from China.

"China is continuously and persistently expanding its military capabilities, and the military threat it poses to us is becoming increasingly severe," Koo said, after members of the KMT decided to skip a round of talks on the budget

The KMT has said there is "no connection whatsoever" between Cheng's China trip and government defense spending plans.

Trump's China visit on the horizon 

Cheng's visit comes weeks ahead of a planned summit in May between Xi and US President Donald Trump, with US-Taiwan ties likely to be high on the agenda.

The US is Taiwan's largest supplier of arms and maintains political support for the self-ruled island, while being careful to avoid making statements implying it recognizes Taiwan as an independent country.

The US has backed the defense spending plan, which Cheng opposes in favor of a smaller amount, with the option of buying more US weapons later.

In February, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was pausing a separate $13 billion US arms package for Taiwan to "avoid disrupting the coming summit."

Edited by: Karl Sexton