Taiwan opposition leader visits China for expected meeting with Xi Jinping

Taiwan opposition leader visits China for expected meeting with Xi Jinping

Taiwan’s primary opposition figure has arrived in China, with plans to meet President Xi Jinping during her six-day itinerary. The visit, which will take her through Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing, marks the first time a current KMT chief has traveled to the mainland in over ten years. Cheng Li-wun, who assumed leadership of the Kuomintang last year, expressed her willingness to engage with Beijing, aiming to foster “peace through dialogue.”

China views Taiwan, currently operating independently, as a separate province that will eventually join the mainland. The country has not ruled out military action to achieve this goal. However, many Taiwanese identify as a sovereign nation, while most prefer to maintain the existing status quo—neither declaring independence nor seeking unification.

“Cheng sees this as an opportunity for her to present herself as the political leader capable of maintaining cross-strait exchange and potentially reducing cross-strait tension,” says William Yang, North East Asia analyst at the International Crisis Group.

Beijing’s decision to cut communication links with Taiwan followed Tsai Ing-wen’s election as DPP president in May 2016. The move was tied to her rejection of the “single Chinese nation” concept. Cheng’s visit, in contrast, signals a shift toward closer ties with China, despite her earlier pro-independence stance.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party criticized Cheng’s trip, labeling her as “subservient” to Beijing. They argued that her journey would be “completely controlled” by the Communist Party, and accused China of being the “main culprit in disrupting regional peace.” This comes as the US continues to supply Taiwan with arms, though its formal alliances are with Beijing.

Cheng’s meeting with Xi occurs ahead of Trump’s planned visit to Beijing on 14 and 15 May. Analysts suggest Beijing is using the visit to weaken arguments for enhanced US-Taiwan defense cooperation. “This will allow China to focus on cutting business deals with the US during Trump’s stay,” explains Wen-ti Sung of the Australian National University’s Taiwan Centre.

Despite her earlier advocacy for independence, Cheng has sought to position herself as a peace builder. Her strategy may gain political traction before Taiwan’s local elections this year, though some see her approach as opportunistic. “Many read Cheng as a fair-weather politician, an opportunist with little principle,” notes Chong Ja-Ian from the National University of Singapore. “Who this benefits, and how much, are the bigger questions.”