In an uncommon encounter with Taiwan’s opposition leader, Xi Jinping, the President of China, affirmed that individuals on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share a Chinese identity and desire peace. This meeting, held on Friday in Beijing between Xi and Cheng Li-wun, the chair of Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT), marks the first such interaction in ten years.<\/p>\n
The visit has generated significant debate in Taiwan, with critics of Cheng accusing her of being excessively aligned with China, which many Taiwanese citizens perceive as a potential threat. Cheng has previously expressed that identifying as Chinese is a \u201cvery natural thing,\u201d a viewpoint that contrasts with prevailing sentiments in Taiwan, where recent polls indicate that around two-thirds of the population primarily identify as Taiwanese.<\/p>\n
During her meeting with Xi, Cheng emphasized that Taiwan should not continue to be a source of tension but instead act as \u201ca symbol of peace jointly safeguarded by Chinese people on both sides of the strait.\u201d Cheng’s trip to China began on Tuesday, and she visited several cities, including Nanjing, which was the historical capital of China under KMT rule before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took control in 1949.<\/p>\n
Following their defeat by the CCP, the KMT retreated to Taiwan, which has since been a focal point of contention between its local administration and the CCP, which claims sovereignty over the island. This meeting comes amid increased military pressure from China towards Taiwan, as Xi regards the \u201creunification\u201d of China and Taiwan as a crucial aspect of his legacy, leaving the possibility of force to achieve this goal unaddressed.<\/p>\n
Cheng, elected as KMT chair last year, is a polarizing figure within Taiwan due to her advocacy for stronger ties with Beijing, leading some Chinese internet users to refer to her as the \u201cgoddess of unification.\u201d The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has won the last three elections and is known for its pro-sovereignty stance, is viewed unfavorably by Beijing, particularly in relation to Lai Ching-te, the DPP leader who became Taiwan’s president in 2024. Chinese state media has depicted Lai in derogatory terms, emphasizing the animosity between the DPP and the CCP.<\/p>\n
Cheng contends that Lai\u2019s tense relations with Beijing pose greater risks to Taiwan compared to her own approach. Since the DPP assumed power in 2016, China has ramped up military activities surrounding Taiwan, including maneuvers resembling preparations for a blockade.<\/p>\n
Prior to her departure for China, Cheng characterized her tour as a \u201cpeace trip,\u201d asserting that it would demonstrate the CCP’s commitment to engaging in peaceful dialogue and exchanges across the Taiwan Strait. This visit coincides with political turmoil in Taiwan regarding a $40 billion special defense budget that the DPP is attempting to advance, facing opposition from the KMT and other parties, which argue that the budget is excessive and unclear.<\/p>\n
Cheng has refuted claims from the DPP that her party sought to obstruct the budget prior to her meeting with Xi. The KMT has suggested a reduced special defense budget of $12 billion, focusing on specific military items approved for sale by the U.S.<\/p>\n
By hosting Cheng, Beijing aims to sow doubt among the Taiwanese populace regarding the DPP’s emphasis on self-defense and to amplify voices advocating for closer ties with China. Amanda Hsiao, the China director at the Eurasia Group think tank, noted that this strategy seeks to create division within Taiwan about the best path forward for its security.<\/p>\n
Hsiao also mentioned that growing skepticism towards the U.S. in Taiwan could bolster Cheng’s argument that the KMT is better positioned to maintain peace across the strait, given its closer alignment with Beijing than Washington. China has consistently opposed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, with Xi previously advising former President Donald Trump to be cautious regarding such transactions.<\/p>\n
William Yang, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, stated that China intends to leverage Cheng’s meeting with Xi to portray an aligned stance between its ally in Taiwan and Beijing on significant policies. Yang suggested that this portrayal could potentially influence Trump’s position on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, a topic likely to arise during the anticipated meeting between Xi and Trump in Beijing next month, which was postponed from April due to the conflict in Iran.<\/p>\n
Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Taiwan and a former U.S. defense official overseeing China and Taiwan, remarked that Cheng’s stance does not reflect the majority opinion within Taiwan. He emphasized that Taiwanese citizens recognize that the military threats they face originate from Beijing, not the DPP or President Lai.<\/p>\n
This article includes additional contributions from Yu-chen Li and Lillian Yang.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In an uncommon encounter with Taiwan’s opposition leader, Xi Jinping, the President of China, affirmed that individuals on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share a Chinese identity and desire peace. This meeting, held on Friday in Beijing between Xi and Cheng Li-wun, the chair of Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT), marks the first such interaction in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6455,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[392,723,1574,88,1573],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uk-asia-pacific","category-uk-china","category-uk-taiwan","category-uk","category-uk-xi-jinping"],"yoast_head":"\n