Editor's note: Zhou Wenxing, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is an associate professor at the School of International Studies (SIS) and assistant dean of Huazhi Institute for Global Governance, Nanjing University. He writes extensively on comparative politics and international relations, with an emphasis on the Taiwan question and China-US relations. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

On April 10, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met in Beijing with Cheng Li-wun, chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, who led a delegation. The meeting marked the first formal engagement between the two parties' leaders in a decade. Against a backdrop of mounting tensions across the Taiwan Strait and growing confrontation in cross-Strait ties, the meeting drew widespread attention on both sides of the strait and beyond.

During their meeting, Xi said the meeting between leaders of the CPC and the KMT was of great significance for developing relations between the two parties and across the Taiwan Strait. He stressed that on the basis of the common political foundation of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," the Chinese mainland is willing to work with all political parties, groups and people from all sectors in the Taiwan region, including the KMT, to strengthen exchanges and dialogue, promote peace across the Taiwan Strait, improve people's well-being and advance national rejuvenation. Cheng echoed that the two parties should uphold the 1992 Consensus, oppose "Taiwan independence," and promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

Indeed, the meeting carries several important implications.

First, it offers a practical path of replacing confrontation with dialogue. Since the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities took office in 2016, official mutual trust across the strait has steadily eroded. After Lai Ching-te took office in 2024, tensions became even more acute. Against that backdrop, the resumption of face-to-face communication between senior leaders of the CPC and the KMT sends a clear message: Cross-Strait relations are not doomed to slide endlessly under a logic of confrontation. There remains scope to manage differences, reduce risks, and stabilize the situation through dialogue.

As Xi noted, people on both sides of the strait hope for peace and tranquility, improved cross-Strait relations, and better lives. Cheng likewise said peace and reconciliation across the strait should be the starting point of joint efforts by both sides. This reflects a basic reality that, regardless of changes in politics on the island, peaceful development remains the deepest aspiration of mainstream public opinion on both sides.

Second, the meeting helped reinforce the shared political foundation for peaceful cross-Strait relations. The Taiwan question is complex, yet the core – whether the two sides can uphold the 1992 Consensus and oppose "Taiwan independence" – remains decisive. Xi made clear that the core issue for safeguarding the shared homeland lies in recognizing that both sides of the Strait belong to one China. Cheng also reiterated the need to uphold this common political foundation and strengthen political mutual trust.

This is significant not only as a matter of principle. Under current circumstances, such political consensus serves as a stabilizer against miscalculation, conflict, and external interference. Without a common political foundation, dialogue can easily lose direction. With it, exchanges can move forward steadily, and peaceful development can rest on firmer ground.

Third, the meeting placed people's well-being back at the center of cross-Strait relations. Peace is not an abstract slogan; it is a practical condition for ordinary people to live, work, and plan for the future. Xi said Taiwan compatriots are welcome to visit the mainland, and he encouraged young people in Taiwan to seek development opportunities on the mainland. In addition, he added that Taiwan agricultural and fishery products, as well as other high-quality goods, are welcome to enter the mainland market. Cheng also called for deeper exchanges and cooperation across all fields, as well as a brighter future for ties across the strait.

This means the meeting goes beyond symbolism. It links peaceful development directly to jobs, education, grassroots interaction, trade, and everyday livelihoods. For many in Taiwan, it also points to an alternative to zero-sum confrontation: Peace creates opportunity, exchanges reduce misunderstanding, and cooperation brings tangible benefits.

Finally, beyond the leaders' remarks, the meeting sent a constructive signal to the international community: Chinese people on both sides of the strait are capable of handling their internal affairs.

The Taiwan question is, at its core, a matter for the Chinese people, and peace across the strait should primarily be maintained by people on both sides. At a time of intensifying geopolitical rivalry and repeated attempts by outside forces to play the "Taiwan card," such emphasis on dialogue and peace carries clear stabilizing value.

The year 2026 marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen, giving the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations deeper historical meaning. Sun devoted his life to national rejuvenation and reunification, and that legacy still resonates on both sides today.

That is why the value of the meeting lies not only in the meeting itself, but in the reminder it offers. Amid external turbulence and political divisions on the island, peaceful development remains the choice most consistent with the interests of the Chinese nation, the well-being of the people and the direction of history.

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