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Taiwan’s opposition leader, Cheng Li-wun, visited China for a peace initiative, marking the first visit by a KMT leader in ten years. She met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday, where Xi expressed strong confidence that Taiwanese and Chinese people would unify, emphasizing the ongoing trend of closer ties and unity across the Strait. Xi reiterated China’s readiness to enhance dialogue with Taiwanese groups, including the Kuomintang, based on a shared goal of opposing Taiwan independence.
Cheng assured Xi that the Taiwan Strait would cease to be a hotspot for potential conflict and called for an end to political confrontations, highlighting a positive response from Xi regarding her proposal for Taiwan’s involvement in international organizations such as Interpol and regional trade agreements.
The trip comes ahead of a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing for a summit with Xi, amid increasing pressure from the U.S. for Taiwanese opposition figures to support defense procurement plans, including U.S. weapons. Cheng criticized the Taiwanese government’s defense budget, which has stalled in Parliament, and advocated for a smaller, more manageable defense fund of NT$380 billion ($12 billion), with the potential for additional arms purchases from the U.S.
While the Kuomintang regularly engages with Chinese officials, their previous high-profile visit was in 2016 with Hung Hsiu-chu. Relations across the Strait have deteriorated recently, especially since Lai Ching-te, Tsai’s successor, was elected; Beijing considers Lai a separatist.
Cheng arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday evening, asserting that war is not inevitable between the two sides, contrary to international fears. She also traveled to Nanjing to visit the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, a revered revolutionary leader widely respected in both Taipei and Beijing.
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