A senior official of the Taiwanopposition party, Kuomintang (KMT) is to travel China this week to meet Beijing’s top decision-makers on Taipei affairs.

What happened: The party said in an announcement on Monday, the vice chairman of the KMT: Andreas HisiaHe will leave for China on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

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The visit takes place amid ongoing military and political tensions between the two countries.

Hsia – a former Taiwanese diplomat and former head of the Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council – will meet Xi Jinpingthe newly appointed head of the China Bureau of Taiwan Affairs, Song Tao.

Hsia and his delegation will “keep in exchange and dialogue on the basis of equality and dignity,” the party said.

They will “reflect Taiwan’s recent public concerns about cross-strait security and expectations for peace and stability in the region.”

The visit marks a rare high-level interaction between Taiwan and China leaders after Beijing’s ramp-up in recent years Pressure on Taipei to accept its claims to sovereignty.

Meanwhile, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office confirmed and welcomed Hsia’s visit. Taiwan’s KMT traditionally favors close ties with Beijing but firmly denies being pro-China.

Hsia’s previous visit to China in August – shortly after China held war drills near Taiwan to vent its anger following the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – was condemned by the Taiwan government.

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