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Military purges prompted Xi Jinping to meet Taiwan KMT leader
This week analyzes what motivated Chinese leader Xi Jinping to hastily meet with Cheng Li-wun, the leader of Taiwan's Nationalist Party. Xi gave an unusually warm welcome to the head of the island's largest opposition party, also known as the Kuomintang or KMT, at last week's meeting in Beijing. Considering that Cheng took the helm less than half a year ago, there must have been an ulterior motive behind the reception.
The Xi administration has not ruled out the use of force to unify Taiwan with mainland China. But its military is in turmoil due to purges of high-ranking officers being hit with corruption charges. So it would be extremely difficult now for China to advance its military onto the island.
Xi apparently chose to play up good relations with the pro-Beijing Kuomintang to demonstrate there is still a possibility of peaceful unification. It will take some time for his administration to quell the tumult of the purges and allow the military to regain its footing.
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