Taiwan's largest opposition party Kuomintang Vice Chairman Xia Liyan is scheduled to visit China from the 8th and meet with high-ranking officials who are said to be close to President Xi Jinping.
With Taiwan's presidential election about a year away, the exchanges between the two sides are drawing attention.
Vice Chairman Xia of the largest opposition Kuomintang Party will visit Beijing and Shanghai from the 8th to the 17th of this month and will meet with Song Tao, the top director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, which is in charge of Taiwan policy in the Chinese government.
In an interview at the airport before departure, Vice President Xia explained the purpose of the visit, saying, "I want to learn about the lives of Taiwanese compatriots on the mainland, and to convey the true feelings of small and medium-sized enterprises and ordinary people in Taiwan." The person in charge of Taiwan on the mainland has changed, so it's good to get to know each other and understand each other."
Director Song has a long career in Fujian Province, which faces the Taiwan Strait, and is said to be close to President Xi Jinping. There is a view that it is a leverage personnel affair aimed at.
In his New Year's message, which he announced shortly after taking office, Director Song said, "Under the One China principle, we will engage in extensive and in-depth discussions on national reunification with knowledgeable people from all walks of life in Taiwan." The Democratic Progressive Party accuses the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party of being in a group for political purposes.
With Taiwan's presidential election about a year away, it will be interesting to see how Vice-President Xia and Song will interact.