Xi Jinping Meets Taiwan Opposition Leader After Military Shake-Up

Chinese President Xi Jinping held a rare meeting with the vice chairman of Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT). The talks occurred just days after a major purge of China's military leadership. Xi met with Andrew Hsia in Beijing's Great Hall of the People. He stated that "external interference" cannot stop the trend of Chinese reunification. Hsia emphasized the KMT's commitment to peaceful dialogue across the Taiwan Strait. The meeting follows the abrupt removal of nine senior Chinese military officers from parliament. Analysts link the purge to a deepening corruption probe within the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Experts see the timing as significant. They suggest Xi aims to project stability in cross-strait relations while asserting firm control over the military. The dual actions signal a two-pronged strategy: offering diplomatic outreach to Taiwan while tightening internal discipline. The KMT favors closer ties with Beijing but rejects unification under China's communist system. Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which Beijing views as separatist, was not part of the discussions.