People on both sides of the strait are chinese

People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese and the future of relations lies in the hands of the Chinese people, President Xi Jinping told Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun on Friday in Beijing. Cheng, chairwoman of Taiwan's largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), is in China on what she has called a "peace" mission to reduce tensions at a time when Beijing has stepped up military pressure against the island it claims as its territory. Meeting in the Great Hall of the People, Xi told Cheng that today's world is not entirely at peace, and peace is precious. "Compatriots on both sides of the strait are all Chinese - people of one family who want peace, development, exchange, and cooperation," he said, in comments carried by Taiwan television stations. "This is the common voice of our people. The leaders of our two parties are meeting today in order to safeguard the peace and stability of our shared homeland, to promote the peaceful developm

ent of cross-strait relations, and to allow future generations to share in a bright and beautiful future." Xi said China was willing, on the common political foundation of opposing Taiwan independence, to strengthen exchange and dialogue together with various political parties, including the KMT, "to firmly hold the future of cross-strait relations in the hands of the Chinese people themselves". China refuses to talk to Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, saying he is a "separatist". Lai's administration has called on Cheng to tell China to stop its threats, and says Beijing should engage with the democratically elected government in Taipei.