Taiwan opposition leader visits China for expected meeting with Xi Jinping

Taiwan Opposition Leader’s China Visit Sparks Political Interest

Cheng Li-wun, head of Taiwan’s primary opposition party, has reached China and is set to meet President Xi Jinping during her six-day itinerary. This visit, which includes stops in Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing, marks a significant moment as Cheng is the first current KMT leader to travel to the mainland in ten years.

Beijing suspended several communication channels with Taiwan following the DPP’s Tsai Ing-wen taking office in May 2016, due to her refusal to recognize the single Chinese nation concept. China maintains that Taiwan is a breakaway province destined to join the country, though it has not dismissed the possibility of military action to achieve this goal.

Meanwhile, many in Taiwan view themselves as an independent nation. However, the majority support the current status quo, preferring neither formal independence nor unification with mainland China. On Tuesday, the ruling DPP criticized Cheng, calling her visit “completely controlled” by Beijing and suggesting she was “subservient” to the Communist Party. The party also blamed China for “disrupting regional peace,” citing ongoing military activities around Taiwan.

Strategic Moves and Cross-Strait Dynamics

Analysts note that Cheng’s eagerness to visit China contrasts with her predecessors’ more cautious approach to cross-strait relations. William Yang, a North East Asia expert at the International Crisis Group, explained that Cheng sees this as an opportunity to “present herself as the political leader capable of maintaining cross-strait exchange and potentially reducing cross-strait tension.”

Cheng, who began her political career as a pro-independence advocate, has shifted toward promoting peace. Her trip, which occurs amid rising doubts about the US in Taiwan “largely stemming from Trump’s mixed signals on his Taiwan policy and the Middle East conflict,” aims to bolster her leadership image while highlighting the perceived shortcomings of current President Lai Ching-te in fostering China relations.

Although the US has formal ties with Beijing, it has long been Taiwan’s primary arms supplier. Recent US statements, including Trump’s claim that Taiwan should reimburse the country for defending against China, have added complexity to the relationship. A bipartisan US delegation recently visited Taipei to push for a $40bn special defense spending bill, which remains blocked in the opposition-controlled legislature.

Political Implications and Analyst Perspectives

Xi’s invitation to Cheng arrives as the president prepares to meet Trump in Beijing on 14 and 15 May. Wen-ti Sung, a political scientist at the Australian National University’s Taiwan Centre, argued that Beijing seeks to “undermine the argument for US-Taiwan defence cooperation” by securing a friendly meeting with Taiwan’s opposition. This strategy would allow China to “cut business deals” with the US during Trump’s visit, sidelining cross-strait tensions.

For Cheng and the KMT, the visit could boost their political standing ahead of upcoming local elections. However, within Taiwan, her alignment with Beijing has drawn criticism. Chong Ja-Ian, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, noted that many see Cheng as a “fair-weather politician,” prioritizing self-interest over principles. “Who this benefits, and how much, are the bigger questions,” he remarked, adding that public polls reflect low confidence in her leadership.

“Beijing wants a cordial meeting with Taiwan’s opposition to undermine the argument for US-Taiwan defence cooperation.”

“Many do read Cheng as a fair-weather politician, an opportunist with little principle, and a politician that cares about her own position more than anything else.”