Taiwan's president is calling for a breakthrough in relations with China that would finally bring an end to years of strained relations between communist Beijing and the self-ruled island.
Speaking Thursday at a cross-strait forum in Taipei Thursday, Tsai Ing-wen said China's recently-concluded party congress represents a chance for the rivals to reach an accord that would permanently abolish the threat of "hostilities and war."
China and Taiwan split in 1949 after Chaing Kai-shek's Nationalist forces were driven off the mainland by Mao Zedong's Communists and sought refuge on the island of Taiwan. Beijing considers Taiwan a renegade territory that should be reunified with the mainland, even by force.
China cut off official communication with Taipei after President Tsai, the leader of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, took office last year and refused to accept the long-standing “one China" principle.
Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to thwart any attempt by Taiwan to declare independence during his opening speech last week at the party congress.