China and Taiwan Opposition: A New Model for Cross-Strait Stability

Cheng Li-wun, the chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), has arrived in China for a six-day visit intended to promote reconciliation and dialogue amid rising cross-strait tensions. The visit, which Cheng has described as a peace mission, marks the first time a sitting KMT leader has visited China in nearly a decade.

On April 8, 2026, Cheng visited the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen in Nanjing, where she laid a wreath in a gesture of historical symbolism. Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the KMT and a revolutionary figure credited with overthrowing the last imperial dynasty in 1912, is revered as the father of the nation in Taiwan and is similarly honored on the Chinese mainland.

The core values of Sun Yat-sen’s ideal that ‘all under heaven are equal’ have always been equality, inclusiveness, and unity. We should work together to promote reconciliation and unity across the [Taiwan] Strait and create regional prosperity, and peace.

Cheng Li-wun

The visit began on April 7, 2026, with Cheng arriving in Shanghai. During her stay in the city, she attended a dinner gala with Song Tao, China’s Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office. The itinerary includes visits to Shanghai and Nanjing before the delegation moves to Beijing.

Cheng was invited to China by President Xi Jinping in March 2026. While a formal meeting between the two leaders has not been officially announced, Cheng has expressed her hope to meet with Xi during the trip. Beijing’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office stated that the visit is expected to have a significant and positive impact on maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Geopolitical Context and Narratives

The engagement with the KMT leadership is viewed as an attempt by Beijing to challenge United States narratives regarding Taiwan. By fostering a relationship with the main opposition party, Beijing is signaling a different model for cross-strait stability, contrasting with the current tensions involving Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), whose leadership Beijing does not recognize.

The visit occurs against a backdrop of increased military drills by China around the island and ongoing pressure from the United States for Taiwan to increase its defense spending through the purchase of American weapons. Speaking in Taipei before her departure on April 7, 2026, Cheng emphasized the urgency of dialogue to avoid conflict.

If you truly love Taiwan, you will seize every opportunity and every possibility to prevent Taiwan from being ravaged by war. Preserving peace is preserving Taiwan.

Cheng Li-wun

Historical Significance of the Visit

The choice of Nanjing as a key stop in the visit is steeped in historical meaning. Nanjing served as the capital of the Republic of China (ROC) before the KMT retreated to Taiwan in 1949 following its defeat in the Chinese civil war by the communists led by Mao Zedong. Taiwan continues to use the official name Republic of China.

During her remarks in Nanjing, Cheng noted that the KMT has honored Sun Yat-sen’s founding principles by transforming Taiwan into a democratic society. She also acknowledged the period of KMT-imposed martial law that lasted from 1949 until 1987, a period known as the white terror.

While the KMT seeks a path of reconciliation, the Taiwanese government remains skeptical that the visit will materially improve cross-strait relations. Beijing continues to view Taiwan as a breakaway province that must eventually be reunited with the mainland and opposes any political movement toward independence.