Taiwan’s Opposition Leader Arrives in China for Landmark Meeting with Xi Jinping
KMT leader Cheng Li-wun visits China to meet Xi Jinping, aiming to act as a "peace bridge" amid rising cross-strait tensions and U.S. policy uncertainty.
KMT Leader Cheng Li-wun Begins High-Stakes Visit to Mainland China
BEIJING – Cheng Li-wun, the chairperson of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), has arrived in China for a six-day visit that is expected to culminate in a face-to-face meeting with President Xi Jinping.
The trip, which includes stops in Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing, marks the first time an incumbent KMT chief has visited the mainland in a decade. Cheng stated she "gladly accepted" the invitation from President Xi, expressing her desire to serve as a "bridge for peace" during a period of heightened cross-strait friction.
A Growing Political Divide
The visit has drawn sharp criticism from Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). On Tuesday, the DPP accused Cheng of being "subservient" to Beijing, arguing that her itinerary would be "completely controlled" by the Chinese Communist Party.
The DPP further labeled Beijing as the "main culprit in disrupting regional peace," pointing to the continuous dispatch of military aircraft and naval vessels near the island. Premier Cho Jung-tai confirmed that the government is closely monitoring the situation.
China maintains that Taiwan is a breakaway province and has refused to rule out the use of military force to achieve unification. Since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016, Beijing has severed most formal communications with Taipei due to the DPP's refusal to endorse the "one China" concept.
The trip, which includes stops in Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing, marks the first time an incumbent KMT chief has visited the mainland in a decade.
Regional Geopolitics and the "Trump Factor"
Analysts suggest the timing of Cheng’s visit is strategically calculated. According to William Yang, North East Asia analyst at the International Crisis Group, the move comes amidst growing skepticism in Taiwan regarding U.S. reliability.
"This stems largely from [Donald] Trump’s mixed signals on his Taiwan policy," Yang noted, referencing the former president's suggestions that Taiwan should pay for its own defense.
The visit also unfolds against the backdrop of a $40 billion special defense spending budget currently stalled in Taiwan's opposition-held parliament. As a bipartisan U.S. delegation recently visited Taipei to push for the bill's passage, Beijing appears keen to pivot the narrative.
Strategic Motivations
Experts believe the meeting serves dual purposes for Beijing and the KMT:
- For Beijing: A successful meeting with the opposition could undermine the argument for increased U.S.-Taiwan defense cooperation. This would allow President Xi to focus on economic negotiations during Donald Trump’s scheduled visit to Beijing on May 14 and 15.
- For Cheng: The trip allows her to position herself as a leader capable of de-escalating tensions ahead of local elections later this year.
However, Cheng faces significant domestic challenges. Once a pro-independence advocate, her shift toward a more accommodating stance with Beijing has been met with public skepticism.
"Many read Cheng as a fair-weather politician," said Chong Ja-Ian, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore. "Polls show little confidence in her... she is willing to wheel and deal. Who this benefits, and how much, are the bigger questions."
As Cheng moves toward her anticipated meeting with Xi, the results of this "peace-building" mission will be measured by both the electoral response in Taipei and the diplomatic reaction in Washington.
