KMT Chair Cheng Li‑wan Meets Xi in Beijing
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- Cheng Li-wun traveled to Shanghai on Tuesday with a KMT delegation for a six‑day visit that includes a summit with President Xi Jinping in Beijing later this week.
- Cheng said her goal is to demonstrate that Taiwan and China “are not destined for war, nor do they need to remain on the brink of military conflict.”
- Sun Yat‑sen’s mausoleum in Nanjing is on Cheng’s itinerary before the Beijing meeting, highlighting shared historical symbolism.
- Chinese military forces have conducted six rounds of live‑fire exercises around the Taiwan Strait since 2022, with the most recent December 2025 drills simulating encirclement and blockade of the island.
- Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation poll (Oct 2025) shows only 13.9 % support unification with China, while 44.3 % favor independence and 24.6 % prefer the status‑quo.
- My Formosa poll (Mar 2025) finds 56.1 % of respondents think Cheng’s meeting with Xi will hurt the KMT’s election prospects, versus 21.6 % who see it as helpful.
- Analysts such as James Chen and Wen‑ti Sung argue a warm Beijing reception could boost Cheng’s diplomatic credibility and KMT unity, whereas a lukewarm response could portray the party as capitulators.
Why it matters: The KMT could gain credibility if Beijing greets Cheng warmly, but a tepid response may alienate moderate voters and bolster the DPP’s claim that the KMT’s China ties hurt its election odds. The visit also highlights Taiwan’s security strain as Chinese drills intensify while U.S. focus stays split.
