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"Taiwan’s opposition leader and Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman, Cheng Li-wun, announced on Monday that she has accepted an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping to lead a delegation to Beijing next month, in a move that she says will aim to bring cross-strait peace and stability. While speaking to the press in Taipei, she expressed gratitude for the invitation from President Xi, viewing the visit as a 'first step' to easing regional tensions. "We oppose 'Taiwan independence' and adhere to the '1992 Consensus.' By opposing separatism, we avoid war; by upholding the 1992 Consensus, we create peace," she said. "Based on the foundation of opposing 'Taiwan independence' and adhering to the ‘1992 Consensus,' we intend to prove one thing to the world and to the people of Taiwan: a cross-strait war is not inevitable," she added. The '1992 consensus' is widely understood as an informal agreement between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), under which both sides recognise the existence of 'one China,' while maintaining their own interpretations of what that entails. According to Cheng Li-wun, the international community follows the 'One China' policy and shares a common position of not supporting 'Taiwan independence.' The Kuomintang chairwoman also stated that, either before or after her trip to China, she is willing to meet and exchange views with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. "We have too many knots that need to be untied; Taiwan cannot afford to continue this endless internal strife," she asserted. The potential visit, the first by a Taiwan leader in a decade, is likely to mark a major diplomatic shift in China–Taiwan relations. Last month, reports alleged that Taipei is planning to deploy US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems in Penghu and Dongyin, potentially enabling strikes on mainland China’s Fujian and Zhejiang provinces. Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory under the 'One China' principle, while the island has never officially declared independence."
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