Taiwan Opposition Leader Cheng Li-wun Visits China for Peace Journey

Cheng Li-wun, the chairperson of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), arrived in China on April 7, 2026, for a six-day visit following an invitation from President Xi Jinping.

The visit, which is scheduled to run from April 7 to April 12, will include stops in Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing. Cheng is expected to meet with President Xi during the trip, marking the first time in a decade that an incumbent chief of the KMT has visited China.

Cheng, who assumed the leadership of the KMT last year, described the visit as a journey for peace and stated that she gladly accepted the invitation from the Chinese president. She expressed her intention to serve as a bridge for peace and aimed to advance the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

Domestic Reaction and Political Tension

The visit has drawn sharp criticism from Taiwan’s ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The DPP described Cheng as subservient to Beijing and asserted that her itinerary would be completely controlled by the Communist Party.

The ruling party further accused Beijing of acting as the main culprit in disrupting regional peace, pointing to China’s ongoing deployment of naval vessels and war planes around the island. Premier Cho Jung-tai stated that the government would closely monitor the developments of Cheng’s trip.

Observers have noted a shift in the KMT’s current approach. While the party has traditionally maintained warmer ties with China than the DPP, some analysts suggest that Cheng’s eagerness to conduct this visit contrasts with the more cautious strategy employed by her predecessors regarding cross-strait relations.

Cross-Strait Context and Geopolitical Stakes

The diplomatic engagement occurs against a backdrop of long-standing tension. Beijing views self-governed Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be integrated into China and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve this goal.

In Taiwan, many citizens consider themselves to be a sovereign nation. However, a majority of the population favors maintaining the status quo, preferring neither a formal declaration of independence nor unification with China.

Communication between the two sides was significantly curtailed after the DPP’s Tsai Ing-wen became president in May 2016, a move Beijing attributed to Tsai’s refusal to endorse the concept of a single Chinese nation.

Beyond the immediate cross-strait dynamics, the timing of the invitation is seen by some as a strategic move. Reports indicate the visit may be designed to project Beijing’s influence and convey a benign message ahead of a scheduled summit between President Xi and President Trump.

The visit has also sparked public reactions within Taiwan. On April 7, 2026, supporters gathered outside Taipei Songshan Airport to cheer Cheng’s departure, while protesters also assembled at the airport to voice their opposition to the trip.