TAIWANESE opposition leader Cheng Li-wun travelled to China today at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, making what she called a “journey for peace” as Beijing pushes for the breakaway island to reunify with the mainland.

Before leaving Taipei, the chairwoman of the Kuomintang party told reporters that Taiwan must spare no effort to prevent war.

Beijing has not ruled out the use of force to retake the island, which has been governed separately since the Communist Party (CPC) took power in China in 1949.

“The purpose of this visit to mainland China is precisely to show the world that it is not just Taiwan that unilaterally hopes for peace,” Ms Cheng said.

“I believe that through this journey for peace, everyone is even more eager to see the sincerity and determination of the CPC central committee to use peaceful dialogue and exchange to resolve all possible differences between the two sides.”

Her visit comes in the run-up to next month’s Beijing meeting between Mr Xi and US President Donald Trump.

Last December, the Trump administration angered China by announcing arms sales to Taipei worth more than $10 billion (£7.5bn).

In a February phone conversation with Mr Trump, Mr Xi warned that “Taiwan will never be allowed to separate from China.”