On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping assured former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-Jeou that there are no forces that can separate Taiwan from China and that differences in their political systems "cannot change the fact that the two parties are one country."
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"There is no problem that cannot be discussed," Xi said but emphasized that "compatriots on both sides of the Strait are Chinese."
"As long as there is no separation, as long as both parties acknowledge being Chinese, compatriots on both sides of the Strait can sit together, initiate contacts, and maintain exchanges as members of one family," Xi said when receiving Ma, who was responsible for the closest approach between China and Taiwan since the end of the 1949 civil war.
"Foreign interference cannot stop the historical trend of reunification... Only as part of one family can mutual understanding be enhanced, trust generated, and conflicts resolved," said Xi, who received Ma as the secretary of the Communist Party of China.
"There are no knots that cannot be untied, no issues that cannot be discussed, and no force that can separate us," Xi emphasized, adding that differences in political systems "cannot change the fact that the two parties are one country."
The Chinese president also expressed condolences for the "deceased compatriots" in the 7.3-magnitude earthquake that shook the east coast of the island last week.
During his unofficial visit to Beijing, Ma highlighted that serious war is "unbearable" and expressed his wish that "both parties can respect the values and ways of life of their peoples."
In March 2023, Ma became the first former Taiwanese leader to travel to China. Official dialogue between Taipei and Beijing, however, has been suspended for eight years.