China's Xi calls for "equal" political talks with Taiwan

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a signing ceremony with Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (not pictured) in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing March 31, 2015. REUTERS/Feng Li/Pool

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping offered the head of Taiwan's ruling Nationalist Party on Monday "equal" talks to resolve their political differences, but only if Taiwan accepts it is part of China, a concept many Taiwanese balk at.

Xi, in his role as head of China's ruling Communist Party, met Nationalist chairman Eric Chu in Beijing's Great Hall of the People, the first meeting between the leaders of the old political rivals in six years, China's Xinhua news agency said.