Eyck Freymann

They had been the ruling government of China preceding 1949.

So they brought with them an unbroken chain of government extending back to the Republic of China constitution, which had been signed in Nanjing.

And that

is the reason why the Kuomintang today claims that it's the unbroken, sole legitimate representative of a China that happens to have been divided since 1949.

Now, the issue is the KMT ruled as an autocratic regime for several decades, but in the 90s, Taiwan turned into a democracy.

And now there's another party that has been in charge for the past decade, the DPP.

which has a very different view of history.

In their view, Taiwan is and always has been an independent country called Taiwan.

It just happens for some legacy historical reasons to be called the Republic of China.

So this is the fundamental problem.

The question of Taiwan's status is not just about Taiwan.

It's about the definition of what China means.

Is there such a thing as one China?

that involves Taiwan?

Or is there one China that doesn't include Taiwan?

Or is there one China but different interpretations of what that one China means?

Much of what Taiwan's domestic politics are about is really this core question.

And from Beijing's point of view, it's willing to negotiate with anyone on Taiwan

who acknowledges that there is only one China and Taiwan is part of China.

And this is why not just Xi Jinping, but his predecessors have always been open to dialogue with the KMT.