Chinese President Xi Jinping held a rare meeting with Taiwan's main opposition leader, Cheng Li-wun, to discuss shared culture and bloodlines, before declaring that unification with the mainland is a "historical inevitability". This meeting comes amid heightened tension in the Taiwan Strait over stepped-up military drills by China and Beijing's disdain for American arms sales to the island. The timing of the meeting, which occurred just weeks before President Donald Trump is expected to visit Beijing, suggests that Xi is seeking to show that China can influence Taiwan's political influence and military might. Cheng's focus on China's goal of reunifying with Taiwan has made her a divisive figure in Taiwan, where she was once a student activist pushing for independence.