The head of Taiwan’s primary opposition party departed Tuesday for China on what she calls a diplomatic mission aimed at preventing conflict, while Taiwanese officials revealed the current positioning of Chinese naval vessels surrounding the island.
Cheng Li-wun, who leads the Kuomintang (KMT) party, embarked on her journey during a period of heightened military tensions with China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory. Her trip also coincides with legislative delays over a proposed $40 billion increase in Taiwan’s defense budget.
Before heading to the airport from her party’s offices, Cheng addressed reporters about what she described as a “historic journey for peace,” while acknowledging that some citizens have concerns about her visit.
“If you truly love Taiwan, you will seize even the slightest chance, every possible opportunity, to keep Taiwan from being ravaged by war,” Cheng stated.
“So I would rather believe that all Taiwanese people hope this trip will succeed, because we can transform the most dangerous place in the world into the safest place in the world,” she added.
Beijing maintains its position that military action remains an option for bringing Taiwan under Chinese control and refuses diplomatic contact with Taiwan’s current President Lai Ching-te, whom Chinese officials label a “separatist.”
On Monday evening, Kuan Bi-ling, who oversees Taiwan’s coast guard through the Ocean Affairs Council, shared a Facebook image showing current Chinese naval deployments around Taiwan – including two vessels positioned off the eastern coastline and one ship each stationed to the north, northwest, and southwest of the island.
“When you depart, you are doing so from within what they see as the ‘Taiwan cage’,” Kuan explained to parliamentary reporters Tuesday, referencing China’s military terminology for Taiwan’s planned T-Dome air defense system while discussing Cheng’s diplomatic mission.
During separate parliamentary remarks, Chiu Chui-cheng, Taiwan’s chief official handling China relations through the Mainland Affairs Council, emphasized that Beijing should work with Taiwan’s democratically chosen leadership.
“We call on Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun, when facing the Communist Party authorities in person, to demand that they immediately stop their compounded pressure against Taiwan, including military aircraft and naval harassment,” Chiu stated.
Cheng’s China visit occurs one month ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi in Beijing.
Although Trump and Xi may reach cooperative agreements on agricultural trade and aircraft components during their Beijing meeting, discussions are anticipated to cover contentious issues including Taiwan, where diplomatic breakthroughs appear unlikely.
During a February phone conversation, Xi cautioned Trump that the United States “must carefully handle arms sales to Taiwan.”
This marks the first visit by a KMT leader to China in ten years, though Chinese officials have not confirmed whether Xi will definitely meet with Cheng, who plans to remain in Beijing starting Thursday.
Her itinerary includes an initial stop in Shanghai followed by rail travel to Nanjing, where the tomb of party founder Sun Yat-sen is located. Sun Yat-sen led the overthrow of China’s final imperial dynasty and established the Republic of China in 1912.
The KMT-controlled republican government relocated to Taiwan in 1949 following their defeat in a civil conflict against Mao Zedong’s communist forces.
