Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, which is in charge of Taiwan policy in the Chinese government, and Xia Liyan, vice president of Taiwan's largest opposition party, the Kuomintang, met in Beijing on the 9th.
According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency, Song said at the meeting that he would "deeply implement the spirit of last year's Communist Party Congress, and fully implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important directives on Taiwan work."
A report made by President Xi at last year's Communist Party Congress included unification of Taiwan and the application of one country, two systems, as well as a commitment not to renounce military force.
In addition, Song said, "We will strengthen exchanges with the Kuomintang on the common ground of opposing Taiwan independence."
On the other hand, according to the Kuomintang, Vice President Xia said, bearing in mind China's suspension of imports of agricultural and marine products from Taiwan, he said, "The difference in political positions on both sides of the Taiwan Strait will affect trade and people's lives. You should avoid doing it as much as possible."
It is the second time in the past six months that the Kuomintang has dispatched Vice President Xia to China, aiming to highlight its differences from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party as a "party that can engage in dialogue with China" in anticipation of next year's presidential election.
On the other hand, the Kuomintang has announced that another delegation is currently in the United States and will visit Japan next week, trying to strike a balance so as not to be seen as overly conciliatory to China.