Birds not missiles should fly in the skies, Taiwan opposition leader says in China
Why it matters: Taiwan's opposition leader is attempting to de-escalate tensions with China, which maintains daily military pressure on the island.
- Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun is in China on a "peace" mission, citing a World War I poem to advocate for peace and stating that "birds not missiles" should fly in the skies, as reported by Reuters.
- Cheng is the chairwoman of Taiwan’s largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), and her visit is described as a rare trip by DW Asia.
- China continues its daily military activities around Taiwan, with the island's Defence Ministry detecting six Chinese military aircraft and eight warships, according to Reuters.
- Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's administration has called on Cheng to tell China to stop its threats and engage with the democratically elected government in Taipei, as China refuses to talk to Lai, labeling him a "separatist."
- Crisis Group notes that Cheng's trip comes ahead of a potential Trump-Xi summit, adding a layer of geopolitical context to her visit.
Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun is on a "peace" mission in China, advocating for de-escalation by quoting a World War I poem and stating that "birds not missiles" should fly in the skies, even as Beijing continues daily military activities around Taiwan. While Cheng seeks to lessen tensions ahead of a potential meeting with Xi Jinping, Taiwan's ruling party and President Lai Ching-te urge her to demand China cease threats and engage with the democratically elected government, highlighting the ongoing military pressure despite her presence.
