TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Kuomintang Chair Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) would like to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China during the first half of next year, reports said Saturday.

The former lawmaker, who took over as opposition leader on Nov. 1, made the comment during a radio show on Friday, the Liberty Times reported. Cheng explained the timing by saying she would be too busy later in the year because of the campaign for the Nov. 28 local elections.

Cheng added that it was not certain yet whether Xi would invite her. If there was no way of meeting Xi, she would not travel to China, per CNA.

She said that during the same period, she was certain to visit the US, as she had already received numerous invitations from think tanks, universities, and overseas Taiwanese.

Responding to her comments, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) reportedly told a TV show that it was difficult for the public to believe KMT statements that China had not set preconditions for the visit. He referred to opposition efforts to block his NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defense budget and other national security legislation.

Cheng later rejected preconditions for her China plans, mentioning there was only the “1992 consensus” and opposition to Taiwan independence.

If Lai, as chair of the Democratic Progressive Party, could accept the “1992 consensus” and make his party remove the Taiwan independence clause from its charter, he could also expect to meet with Xi, Cheng said.