Xi Jinping meets Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing

Their meeting marked the first time a sitting KMT chairperson had met with the Communist Party leadership since November 2016, when then-KMT chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu visited the mainland.Cheng has described her six-day trip, which began on Tuesday in Shanghai, as a “journey of peace”. During her visits to Shanghai and Nanjing, she repeatedly emphasised cross-strait peace.Her visit comes at a time of heightened tensions across the Taiwan-strait" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="5508" data-entity-type="location">Taiwan Strait, with the People’s Liberation Army manoeuvring around the island almost daily, aimed at deterring the ruling independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).Chinese President and Communist Party chief Xi Jinping and Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun. Photos: Xinhua, ReutersStill, Beijing has said peaceful reunification with the island would be the preferable option.Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-ruled island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.