Taiwan opposition leader visits China for expected meeting with Xi Jinping

Taiwan Opposition Leader Visits China for Expected Meeting with Xi Jinping

A Political Shift Amid Tensions

Taiwan’s primary opposition figure has arrived in mainland China, set to meet President Xi Jinping during a visit that has drawn significant attention. Cheng Li-wun, who assumed the role of Kuomintang (KMT) chairperson in 2023, accepted Xi’s invitation and aims to act as a “bridge for peace.” The six-day itinerary will take her through Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing, with the encounter with Xi expected to occur later in the trip. This marks the first time a current KMT leader has visited China in ten years.

Beijing severed certain communications with Taiwan after the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) elected Tsai Ing-wen as president in May 2016, due to her rejection of the “one China” principle. China views Taiwan as a province destined to unite with the mainland, and remains open to using military force if necessary. Meanwhile, many in Taiwan identify as a sovereign nation, though the majority support maintaining the current status quo—neither independence nor unification.

“Beijing wants a cordial meeting with Taiwan’s opposition to undermine the argument for US-Taiwan defence cooperation,” says Wen-ti Sung, a political scientist at Australia’s National University Taiwan Centre.

The DPP, which governs Taiwan, criticized Cheng on Tuesday, calling her “subservient” to Beijing and claiming her trip would be “completely controlled” by the Communist Party. The party also blamed China for “disrupting regional peace,” citing its recent deployment of warplanes and naval forces near Taiwan. Premier Cho Jung-tai stated the government will closely track the visit’s developments.

Analysts note Cheng’s willingness to engage with China contrasts with her predecessors’ more reserved approach to cross-strait relations. William Yang, a North East Asia expert at the International Crisis Group, highlights that her trip occurs amid rising doubts about the US in Taiwan, influenced by Trump’s inconsistent policies and the Middle East conflict. “Cheng sees this as an opportunity to position herself as a leader capable of sustaining cross-strait exchange and easing tensions,” Yang adds.

Although the US maintains formal ties with Beijing, it has long been Taiwan’s principal arms supplier. Trump recently suggested Taiwan should compensate the US for its defense against China. A bipartisan US delegation visited Taipei last week to push for a $40 billion special defence spending bill, which is currently blocked in the opposition-led parliament.

Cheng’s trip coincides with Xi’s planned meeting with Trump, set for 14–15 May. Beijing’s strategy, according to Sung, allows it to focus on “cutting business deals” with the US during Trump’s visit, rather than addressing cross-strait matters. This could benefit Cheng and the KMT ahead of local elections later this year.

Despite her early career as a pro-independence activist, Cheng has increasingly positioned herself as a peacebuilder. Yang explains, “She is trying to thread a needle between the US and China… to bolster her leadership while criticizing Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s lack of engagement with China.” However, political scientist Chong Ja-Ian of the National University of Singapore argues Cheng’s alignment with Beijing has made her a “fair-weather politician” in Taiwan’s eyes. “Many see her as an opportunist with little principle,” Chong notes. “This is why polls show limited confidence in her. The bigger question is who this benefits and to what extent.”