Not long ago, as our friends in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) stepped out from the shadow of war and back into peaceful daily life, the Chinese people, thousands of miles away, also welcomed heartening news in this bright spring season. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met in Beijing with a delegation led by Ms. Cheng Li-wun, Chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT). This meeting between the leaders of the two parties, coming after a ten-year interval, is of great significance for the development of both inter-party and cross-Strait relations.
During the meeting, General Secretary Xi Jinping set forth four crucial points for advancing cross-Strait relations: upholding a correct understanding of our shared identity to forge closer bonds; upholding peaceful development to safeguard our common homeland; upholding exchanges and integration to enhance the well-being of our people; and upholding unity and joint efforts to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. These “Four Upholds,” which keep in mind the overall and long-term interests of the Chinese nation, chart the course for promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advancing the cause of national reunification in these new circumstances.
First, upholding a correct understanding of identity to forge closer bonds across the Strait. Taiwan has been an inalienable part of China since ancient times; the historical and legal facts are clear and indisputable. Compatriots on both sides of the Strait belong to the one Chinese nation. We share the same roots, culture, and ancestry; ours is a bond of kinship and a community with a shared future. All ethnic groups, including our compatriots in Taiwan, have jointly created a unified multi-ethnic nation, written a glorious history, cultivated a splendid civilization, and fostered a great national spirit. Together, we have upheld the shared conviction that our territory must not be divided, our nation must not be thrown into chaos, our people must not be separated, and our civilization must not be broken. This conviction has guided the Chinese nation’s unremitting struggle and ensured the continuity of our civilization. As General Secretary Xi stressed, “As long as family members talk things through, there are no feuds that cannot be resolved.” A handful of “Taiwan independence” separatists, however, seek to distort history, fabricate false narratives, and mislead international opinion. These contemptible acts of forgetting one’s ancestors and betraying the nation are doomed to fail. Much like the Chinese nation, the Kurdish people, which possess a long history, rich culture, and proud traditions, and hold a strong sense of identity, understand the depth and power of these inseparable bonds.
Second, upholding peaceful development to safeguard our shared homeland. The mainland and Taiwan are both part of one China, our common homeland. As the saying goes, “A harmonious family prospers.” We welcome all propositions conducive to peaceful cross-Strait development and will spare no effort to advance them. At the same time, we firmly maintain that the Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair and sits at the very core of China’s core interests. This red line must not be crossed. Taiwan’s return to China after World War II was a vital victory secured through 14 years of bloody resistance by the entire Chinese nation, including our Taiwan compatriots, and it forms an integral part of the post-war international order. International legal instruments, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, unequivocally affirm China’s sovereignty over Taiwan. Yet, just days ago, even as people in Taiwan were reeling from a devastating earthquake, Lai Ching-te, the leader of the Taiwan region, prioritized his selfish political agenda with a so-called “transit” visit. Such underhanded separatist actions seriously undermine stability in the Strait and will never be accepted by the Chinese government and people.
Third, upholding exchanges and integration to improve the well-being of the people. General Secretary Xi has made it clear that “the goal of developing cross-Strait relations is to enable compatriots on both sides to live better lives.” For years, adhering to the principle that we are all one family, the CPC has actively worked to do practical, beneficial, though often difficult, things for our Taiwan compatriots. In 2025, despite continued obstruction and restrictions from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, cross-Strait exchanges and integration across various fields maintained strong momentum. Total cross-Strait visits reached approximately 5.45 million, a year-on-year increase of 23.6 percent, with young people accounting for over one-third. Trade in goods hit 314.33 billion U.S. dollars, up 7.3 percent year-on-year. Shortly after the meeting, the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee announced ten new policy measures to promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation. Focusing on the practical needs of Taiwan compatriots, these measures cover areas from party-to-party and youth exchanges to the economy, people’s livelihoods, culture, and tourism. They represent another significant step by the mainland to foster all-around exchanges, strengthen kinship bonds, enhance compatriots’ welfare, and answer the common aspirations on both sides for peace, development, and cooperation.
Fourth, upholding unity and joint efforts to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. China has successfully embarked on the path of Chinese modernization, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical stage. Taiwan’s future development depends on a strong motherland, and the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots are inextricably linked to this national rejuvenation. During her visit, Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun personally experienced technological advances like drone food delivery, toured a smart automated port, and boarded a domestically produced commercial airplane, gaining a tangible sense of the mainland’s manufacturing strength and the vast potential of cross-Strait unity. This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and we are eager to share the opportunities and fruits of development with our Taiwan compatriots. On the broad road to national rejuvenation, no Taiwan compatriot should be left behind. The recent contrast in responses during the Iran conflict is telling: while the DPP authorities showed cold indifference to stranded compatriots’ pleas for help, Chinese diplomatic missions under the CPC’s leadership worked tirelessly to safely evacuate over 100 Taiwan compatriots. The difference is stark, and justice is clear to all.
No matter how the international landscape or the situation in the Taiwan Strait evolves, the overarching trend toward national rejuvenation will not change, nor will the shared desire of compatriots across the Strait to come together. Today, the one-China principle is a universal consensus of the international community and the political foundation for China’s friendly relations and steady cooperation with Iraq, including the KRI. Upholding justice and cherishing peace are values shared by the Chinese people and people worldwide, including in the KRI. We hope the KRI government and people from all walks of life will firmly uphold the one-China principle, jointly safeguard the authority of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, adhere to the UN Charter’s purposes and principles, and work together to maintain the international order and world peace.
Liu Jun is the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Erbil.
The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.