Advertisement
Communist Party and KMT revive forum stalled by decade of cross-strait tensions
Dialogue channel could pave the way for a meeting between President Xi Jinping and Taiwanese opposition party leader Cheng Li-wun
Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
3
Amber Wangin Beijing
The Communist Party and the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan’s main opposition party, will revive a long-stalled dialogue channel next week to navigate cross-strait tensions and discuss plans to promote industrial cooperation.
Beijing confirmed on Wednesday that the think tank forum would be held in the Chinese capital on February 3, according to an announcement by Zhang Han, a spokeswoman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO).
The party-to-party channel, known unofficially as the Communist Party-Kuomintang forum, has been held 11 times since its launch in 2006 but was suspended in 2016 due to deteriorating cross-strait relations.
Advertisement
The forum is expected to pave the way for a possible meeting between Cheng Li-wun, the new leader of the KMT, and President Xi Jinping, a meeting that some media reports suggest could take place as early as March.
During the forum, representatives from both parties, as well as experts and scholars, will exchange views on topics including cross-strait tourism, industry and environmental issues, according to Zhang.
Advertisement
She said the aim of the forum was to “jointly discuss major plans for the development of cross-strait relations and pursue the interests and well-being of compatriots on both sides of the strait”.
Advertisement
Select Voice
Select Speed
1.00x