Chinese leader Xi Jinping held talks with the head of Taiwan¡¯s largest opposition party on Friday in Beijing ¡ª the first such meeting in a decade ¡ª with Xi saying China will ¡°never tolerate¡± any push for the island¡¯s formal independence.

Meeting in Beijing¡¯s Great Hall of the People, Xi told Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun that China was willing to boost dialogue and exchanges with various political parties, including the KMT, based on the common political foundation of opposing Taiwan independence, China¡¯s official Xinhua News Agency reported.

¡°Taiwan independence is the chief culprit that undermines peace across the Taiwan Strait, and we will never tolerate or condone it,¡± Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.