Xi Jinping Congratulates KMT Chair-Elect

TaiwanPlus News

Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang elected a new chair over the weekend. With former Legislator Cheng Li-wun set to take over the party in November, reactions to her election are already pouring in, with one coming from China.

Transcript

00:00Reactions to the main opposition, Guo Mingdeng, electing former legislator Zheng Li Wen as

00:05its new party head are pouring in.

00:08They include everything from congratulations to caution.

00:11Zheng Li Wen was elected KMT Chair on Saturday evening, winning just over 50% of the vote.

00:17Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday congratulated Zheng in his role as head of China's Communist

00:23Party.

00:24China's government, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has cut off high-level

00:29contact with Taipei since the ruling Democratic Progressive Party was voted into executive

00:34power in 2016.

00:37But Beijing maintains friendlier relations with the KMT.

00:40Xi's message to Zheng says he hopes the two parties can improve ties based on opposing

00:45Taiwanese independence and upholding the 1992 consensus.

00:50The 1992 consensus is controversial because it says Taiwan and China are part of the same

00:56country with each side having different interpretations of what that country is.

01:01China often uses it to assert its claim over Taiwan.

01:05The KMT echoed Xi's sentiments in a response statement.

01:09Taiwan President Lai Qingde said Monday that he will never accept the 1992 consensus.

01:15In a radio interview on Monday morning, Zheng expressed willingness to go to China and meet with Xi

01:20Xi Jinping to open dialogue and de-escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait, but according to

01:26an expert, Xi might wait.

01:47On the other end of the political spectrum, the ruling DPP has urged rational governance and caution.

01:53It said that China had clearly interfered in the KMT chair elections and that the KMT should take

01:59Taiwan's national security more seriously instead of being complicit in China's plans.

02:04The DPP says that Zheng is Beijing's preferred candidate because she advocates for a more

02:10China-forward policy and it seems that Zheng is not shy about expressing her willingness to work with Beijing.

02:18An influential KMT member Zhao Shaokang says that she must push for deeper reforms.

02:23Zheng officially takes over the KMT on November 1st.

02:26Heng Xu and Leslie Liao for Taiwan Plus.

02:28Heng Xu and Leslie Liao for Taiwan Plus.

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