Article by Viory
Kuomintang (KMT) chairperson Cheng Li-wen touched down in Shanghai, the first stop on her ‘Journey of Peace’ visit to China, on Tuesday, kicking off the first trip by a Taiwanese opposition leader in a decade.
Cheng designated guaranteeing that “Taiwan is not encroached upon by the flames of war” as the priority aim of the trip before heading off to the mainland.
Footage shows the KMT leader and her delegation were met by the head of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Song Tao, as they left the plane at Hongqiao Airport.
The State Council Taiwan Affairs Office voiced hope the visit will have a positive effect on the strained Beijing-Taipei ties.
The opposition leader is travelling on a special invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, it has not yet been confirmed when Cheng will meet with the Chinese leader in person.
On the same day, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te declared openness for talks with Beijing but demanded ‘equality and dignity’ in relation, reiterating the island’s sovereignty from the mainland.
During their six-day visit, the Cheng-led delegation is scheduled to visit Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, and Beijing.
China regards Taiwan as part of its territory under the long-standing ‘One China’ principle, which asserts there is only one Chinese state and that Taiwan falls within it.
The KMT supports engagement with Beijing based on the ‘1992 Consensus’ – an understanding that both sides belong to ‘one China’, while allowing different interpretations, which they see as a pragmatic way to keep communication open and reduce the risk of conflict.
The visit comes weeks ahead of a planned US-China summit, with Beijing hosting the KMT delegation to signal a preference for party-to-party dialogue over the DPP’s military-focused approach.
Meanwhile, Taipei faces ongoing legislative gridlock, as a KMT-led coalition continues to block a historic $40 billion special defence budget.
Tensions have been further heightened since last December, when US President Donald Trump announced a $14 billion arms sale to the island, including missiles, howitzers and drones.
Article by Viory
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