Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, said on Friday that Taiwan and the Chinese mainland should strengthen peaceful cross-Strait relations and pursue steady, incremental progress based on shared goals.

On Friday morning in Beijing, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met with Cheng. The meeting was the first between leaders of the two parties in a decade.

Speaking at a news conference later in the afternoon, Cheng said the meeting reflected the sincerity of both sides, demonstrating a shared commitment and goodwill toward the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

She noted that tensions across the Taiwan Strait had escalated over the past 10 years — a development that neither side wanted to see.

"Therefore, today's meeting is of great significance," she said, adding that, as long as intentions are positive and the direction is correct, the prospects for peaceful cross-Strait development remain promising.

Describing the meeting as "a successful first step", Cheng said that efforts by both sides to address differences and reduce confrontation are ultimately aimed at improving the lives of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. She also called for more opportunities for cross-Strait exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and help resolve differences.

Reflecting on her talks with Xi, Cheng said that both sides share a common vision of bringing people closer together, deepening mutual understanding, expanding goodwill and building mutual trust.

"These are the essential foundations for the peaceful and stable development of cross-Strait relations in the future," she said.

Cheng is leading a KMT delegation on a visit to the mainland from Tuesday to Sunday, with stops in Jiangsu province, Shanghai and Beijing. Describing the visit as a responsibility to history, she called on political parties in Taiwan to set aside their differences over cross-Strait relations and work together for peace.

She reiterated that the only political foundation for cross-Strait exchanges and dialogue is adherence to the 1992 Consensus and opposition to "Taiwan independence", adding that she had repeatedly emphasized this position before her visit.

Highlighting achievements of Taiwan and the mainland as shared accomplishments of the Chinese nation, Cheng said that both sides should appreciate and respect each other and learn from one another. She said those achievements could be further advanced through expanded cross-Strait cooperation, benefiting both sides and humanity as a whole.

"We hope to establish and consolidate a peaceful and stable relationship, and move forward step by step in a steady manner," she said.

Cheng also proposed restoring a cross-Strait consultation mechanism and strengthening communication platforms between the KMT and the CPC.

Later on Friday, Cheng and her delegation visited Tsinghua University High School in Beijing, touring artificial intelligence laboratories and learning about the latest AI applications in education.