The leader of Taiwan’s largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), is scheduled to visit China in April following an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping. This visit will take place a month before U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned summit in Beijing.
Cheng Li-wun, who was elected KMT chairwoman in October, has indicated a shift toward closer relations with Beijing compared to her predecessor Eric Chu, who did not travel to China during his chairmanship starting in 2021. China regards democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and refuses to engage with the government of President Lai Ching-te, labeling it as “separatist.” However, it frequently welcomes senior KMT officials, and Cheng had previously expressed her intention to visit.
In a statement released on Monday, the KMT expressed Cheng’s gratitude for the invitation, which she accepted willingly. Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Cheng described the upcoming visit as a potential start of a new era of cooperation across the Taiwan Strait. She emphasized the importance of fostering kindness and mutual trust, stating that the party would strive for peace and stability in the region to reassure the international community.
Chinese state media announced that Cheng’s visit would occur from April 7 to 12, including stops in Beijing, Shanghai, and Jiangsu province. Meanwhile, Hsu Kuo-yung, Secretary-General of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, urged Cheng to convey to Xi Jinping that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent nation. He also challenged her to highlight Taiwan’s democratic process by questioning when China would hold its presidential elections.
This development comes amid efforts by President Lai’s administration to secure parliamentary approval for an additional $40 billion in defense funding. Although the KMT supports enhancing Taiwan’s military capabilities, it has expressed reservations about approving funds without detailed information, rejecting the idea of signing “blank cheques.”
U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration has strongly supported Taiwan’s defense spending, is expected to visit China in mid-May for a summit that was postponed from early April due to the ongoing conflict involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran. China has not yet confirmed Trump’s visit.
The historical context remains significant: the Republic of China government, led by the KMT, retreated to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the civil war to Mao Zedong’s communists. Since then, no peace treaty or armistice has been signed, and neither side formally recognizes the other’s government. Notably, in late 2015, Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, also from the KMT, held a landmark meeting with Xi Jinping in Singapore.
