Beijing respects the social system adopted by Taiwan and is ready to have "equal" talks, Partychief Xi Jinping said on Tuesday as he mapped out his detailed cross-Straits policies for the firsttime.
Nothing can cut the bond between the mainland and Taiwan, and "we have patience and alsoconfidence" to resolve problems with cross-Straits ties, Xi, general secretary of the CommunistParty of China Central Committee, told Kuomintang Honorary Chairman Lien Chan in Beijing.
Xi also said Beijing welcomed people making efforts to boost the peaceful development ofcross-Straits relations, regardless of earlier stances, in a gesture analysts said conveys hismessage to Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party.
Experts said the mainland's top leader sent a clear signal to Taiwan that Beijing would like toprovide enough room for peaceful consultations and development across the Straits by facing upto reality and being open.
The last time Xi met Lien was in February 2013, months after Xi became general secretary of theCPC Central Committee.
Cross-Straits relations have improved significantly since Lien's ice-breaking visit to the mainlandin 2005 — which ended a 56-year deadlock — and Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou's taking office in2008.
But that development mainly focuses on the economic sector, with the mainland being Taiwan'slargest trading partner.
"As for the chronic political differences between the mainland and Taiwan, we are willing toconduct equal consultations with Taiwan under the one-China framework, and make reasonablearrangements," Xi said.
"We respect the social system and way of living chosen by Taiwan compatriots, and would alsolike to share the opportunities brought by the mainland's development with Taiwan compatriotsfirst," he said.