BEIJING - The Chinese mainland and Taiwan should enhance mutual trust and respect each other's development path and social system, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said Sunday.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Vincent Siew, senior Taiwan politician, who is in Beijing to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting slated for Nov. 10-11.

The two sides of the Taiwan Straits should develop mutual trust based on the common political commitment to upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," Xi said.

It is inevitable that the two sides will encounter difficulties and barriers in relations due to the existing differences, Xi said.

But he stressed that the more difficulties and barriers the two sides face, the harder they should work to promote exchanges, build up trust and maintain positive engagement.