Promoting the “one country, two systems” model used to bring Hong Kong and Macao into the People’s Republic, he said he would work with anyone willing to promote “cross-strait development.”

Taiwan has been governed separately from mainland China since the communists overthrew the nationalist Guomindang in 1949. Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek withdrew to Taiwan and the US Navy prevented Mao Zedong’s forces from driving him out of the island province.

The Guomindang is now seen as friendly to Beijing because it continues to view Taiwan as part of China while its main electoral rival, the Democratic Progressive Party, wants a formal split.

Mr Xi repeated yesterday that China would never tolerate that, describing Taiwanese independence as “infeasible.

“Reunification breeds strength. Secession breeds turbulence,” he said.