A prominent Taiwanese opposition figure has expressed strong interest in meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump during her planned visit to America this month.
Cheng Li-wun, who leads the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan’s primary opposition party, announced her openness to such a meeting while speaking with media representatives in Taipei on Monday. She departed later that day for a two-week journey across the United States, which follows her April trip to China where she held discussions with President Xi Jinping.
During her press conference in Taipei, Cheng noted that no Taiwanese leader has held a meeting with a serving U.S. president since diplomatic ties between Taipei and Washington ended in 1979, though she emphasized her role is specifically as KMT chairwoman.
When reporters questioned whether she would be open to meeting Trump, Cheng responded: “I am of course very willing.”
She explained her readiness to engage with any individual who promotes peace and holds significant leadership authority, similar to her approach with Xi.
“The same applies to President Trump. Anything that is helpful to peace, I am willing to do; anyone who is helpful to peace, I am willing to meet – let alone the most critical decision-maker and leader, which is the president of the United States,” Cheng stated.
The White House has not yet provided a response to requests for comment made after regular business hours.
Beijing, which maintains territorial claims over Taiwan, has refused diplomatic engagement with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, labeling him a “separatist” and dismissing his multiple overtures for dialogue. Lai has consistently rejected Beijing’s territorial assertions, maintaining that Taiwan’s citizens alone should determine their island’s destiny.
Cheng expressed satisfaction with the improving trajectory of China-U.S. relations following Trump and Xi’s meeting in Beijing last month.
She confirmed plans to meet with congressional members and U.S. government officials during her trip, which includes a stop in Washington, though she declined to specify participants due to confidentiality considerations.
Despite Cheng’s KMT and its coalition partner, the Taiwan People’s Party, holding parliamentary control and supporting defense expenditures, they recently reduced government proposals for an additional $40 billion in military spending by one-third last month.
The United States has endorsed Taiwan’s increased defense budget, particularly the portions that the opposition reduced, which included funding for drones and other domestically-produced military equipment.
According to Cheng, Taiwan’s defensive capabilities depend not solely on enhanced military equipment, but also require diplomatic engagement with China to “thoroughly eliminate any possibility of military conflict or war.”
