called "1992 consensus" by which Beijing and Taipei could interpret "one China" differently. Soong is the second opposition leader to visit China at the invitation of Hu Jintao to discuss cross-Strait peace. On April 26, Lien Chan, chairman of Taiwan's largest opposition Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, KMT), flew to China to meet Hu. Lien's visit marked the end of hostilities with the Chinese Communist Party since the KMT was defeated by the communists in 1949. President Hu said that he was willing to talk to all of Taiwan's political parties based on the 1992 consensus. But pressure from pro-independence hardliners has proven too strong for the Taiwanese president, who had to publicly reject the controversial consensus to defuse mounting pressure ahead of the weekend's National Assembly elections, Taiwanese media outlets and political analysts said. Support for Chen's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has dropped by at least seven percentage points since Chen forged an alliance with Soong and backed his China visit. The communist leadership in China is actively wooing Taiwan's opposition parties while it shuns pro-independence Chen and the DPP. Beijing enacted an anti-secession law in March, permitting the use of military force against Taiwan if it formally declares independence. ---SP 2325 Local Time 2025 GMT
