Chinese President Xi Jinping has told former Taiwan President that "no-one can stop the family reunion" between the two countries.
The government of the Republic of China (ROC) fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to Chairman Mao Zedong's communists.
Since then, no serving Taiwanese leader has visited China. However, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou president from 2008 to 2016, last year became the first former Taiwanese leader to visit China.
Former President Ma is now on his second trip to the country, at a time of bubbling military tension across the strait.
Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou and President Xi meet in Beijing
Reuters
Meeting Ma in Beijing's Great Hall of the People, where foreign leaders normally hold talks with top Chinese officials, President Xi said that people on both sides of the strait are Chinese.
President Xi said: "External interference cannot stop the historical trend of reunion of the country and family...There is no rancour that cannot be resolved, no problem that cannot be discussed, and no force that can separate us."
Xi did not elaborate but in Chinese terminology referring to external interference over Taiwan is generally aimed at the support Taipei gets from Western countries like the United States, especially arms sales which infuriate Beijing.
He did reiterate his belief that people on both sides of the strait are Chinese.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS FROM CHINA
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou in Singapore in 2015
Getty
China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically-governed Taiwan under its control, and has ramped up military and political pressure to assert its sovereignty claims.
Former President Ma said: "If there is a war between the two sides, it will be unbearable for the Chinese people.
"Chinese on both sides of the strait absolutely have enough wisdom to handle all disputes peacefully and avoid heading into conflict."
During the meeting, Xi called Ma "Mr. Ma Ying-jeou" rather than former president, given neither the Chinese nor Taiwanese governments formally recognise the other. Ma called Xi by title as head of the Communist Party, general secretary.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has refused to accept Xi's proposal that both sides of the strait are part of "one China"
Getty
Current Taiwan president, Tsai Ing-we and her government reject China's territorial claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.
China says it will only talk to Tsai if she accepts that both sides of the strait are part of "one China", which she has declined to do.
Ma remains a senior member of Taiwan's main opposition party the Kuomintang (KMT), which in January lost the presidential election for the third time in a row, but has no official party position.
The KMT advocates close ties with China and dialogue, but strongly denies being pro-Beijing.
