Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen willing to meet Xi Jinping ‘for peace and stability’
Island’s president appears to offer olive branch to Beijing in wake of historic summit between North and South Korea
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen said on Friday she would be willing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping “for peace and stability” in the wake of a landmark summit between the leaders of the two Koreas.
Relations between Taiwan and the mainland have deteriorated since Tsai came to power in May 2016. Beijing still sees the self-ruling island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
Beijing is deeply suspicious of Tsai’s traditionally pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, and has cut off official communications with Taipei as the Taiwanese president refuses to accept that the island is part of “one China”.
When asked on Friday if she would consider meeting Xi given the way the inter-Korean summit unfolded, Tsai appeared to offer an olive branch to China and said her government “would be willing to do anything that is helpful for ... peace and stability”.
A meeting with the mainland leader could take place “without any political precondition and on an equal footing”, she added.
Under those principles, “I believe no Taiwanese leader would refuse,” she told reporters.
