Xi meets visiting KMT chairman

Xi Jinping (R), general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu on Monday, May 4, 2015 in Beijing. This has been Chu's first visit to the mainland since he was elected KMT chairman in January. [Photo/CNS]

BEIJING - Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, called for both sides of the Taiwan Strait to build a community of shared destiny and settle political differences through equal consultations.

Xi made the remarks during a meeting with visiting Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu in Beijing on Monday.

The meeting took place in the Great Hall of the People and is the first between Xi and Chu, bringing broad attention and expectations.

Stressing the 1992 Consensus is the foundation for the exchanges with Taiwan authorities and political parties, Xi said the mainland is willing to take the lead to share the development opportunities with Taiwan compatriots.

"We are willing to give priority to Taiwan in opening-up. Our efforts to open up to Taiwan compatriots will be bigger," he said.

Both the CPC and KMT should be brave when facing lingering political differences and difficulties, pool wisdom of compatriots of both sides and actively search for a solution, he said.

"The two sides can consult with each other on equal basis under the principle of One China, and reach a reasonable arrangement," Xi said.

The meeting is part of Chu's first visit to the mainland since he was elected KMT chairman in January. He met with Yu Zhengsheng, top political advisor and member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, on Saturday and attended the 10th Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum in Shanghai on Sunday.

Related: KMT leader signals adherence to 1992 Consensus

Xi Jinping, the head of the Communist Party of China, and Eric Chu, the head Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang party, are due to meet in Beijing on Monday to discuss cross-Straits relations. On Sunday, Chu led a delegation to attend the Cross-Straits Economic, Trade and Culture Forum in Shanghai, where he met the mainland's top political adviser Yu Zhengsheng.

The 53-year-old Chu assumed office in January, as his predecessor Ma Ying-jeou resigned after the KMT's massive defeat in the biggest-ever local elections in November. The meeting with Xi is expected to deepen the communication between the leaders of the two parties and will help build on the positive momentum that has been created over the last decade, which has witnessed frequent high level exchanges between the CPC and KMT, including three official meetings held by their top leaders.