Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan’s largest opposition party, arrived in China on Tuesday for a 'peace' mission. Her visit comes amid increased Chinese military pressure on Taiwan, which Beijing views as its own territory.
Key Takeaways
Taiwan's opposition leader Cheng Li-wun arrived in China for a 'peace' mission amid heightened military tensions. Her trip coincides with stalled defense spending plans and comes ahead of a U.S.-China summit.
- Cheng Li-wun calls her visit to China a historic peace mission
- Chinese state media says the visit will have positive impact on cross-strait relations
- Taiwan's president emphasizes democracy and freedom, rejecting Beijing's claims
- Cheng's trip is unpopular among many Taiwanese citizens who view her as an opportunist
Speaking at her party’s headquarters before departing, Cheng described her journey as a 'historic mission for peace.' She acknowledged unease about her visit but emphasized the importance of preventing war. 'If you truly love Taiwan, you will seize even the slightest chance to keep Taiwan from being ravaged by war,' she said.
Cheng arrived at Shanghai’s Hongqiao airport under tightened security and proceeded to Nanjing, home to the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Republic of China. Her visit follows a period of heightened military activity around Taiwan, with Chinese warships deployed off the island's coasts.
President Lai Ching-te reiterated his desire for equal talks with China but stressed that 'Taiwan is not part of the People’s Republic of China and has the right to pursue a way of life that values democracy, freedom, and human rights.'
Cheng's visit comes ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s scheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing next month. The trip is seen as an opportunity for Cheng to present herself as a leader capable of maintaining cross-strait relations and reducing tensions. However, her position has proven unpopular within Taiwan, where many view her as an opportunist.
China's State Council's Taiwan Affairs office said the visit will have a 'significant' and 'positive impact' on maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua. Cheng and a delegation of other KMT officials will visit the eastern cities of Shanghai and Nanjing before arriving in Beijing, where Taiwan's media is widely reporting she may meet with President Xi Jinping.
Beijing paused many of its exchanges with the KMT after the party lost power to Taiwan's current ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2016. Beijing considers the DPP and Lai Ching-te separatists, but 'the KMT accepts that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China,' said Xin Qiang, head of the Center for Taiwan Studies at Shanghai's Fudan University.
Taiwan's parliament is locked in a bitter debate over the DPP-led government's $40 billion request for additional defense spending, which would in part be used to buy more weapons from the U.S. Beijing is signaling that deterrence is not the only way to manage tensions and that it is open to dialogue.
Supporters of Cheng Li-wen gather at Taipei Songshan Airport ahead of her departure for mainland China on April 7, 2026. Meanwhile, President Trump has suggested he would be open to discussing future American arms sales to Taiwan with Xi Jinping during their upcoming meeting in May.
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