TAIPEI, Taiwan — A prominent Taiwanese opposition figure departed for mainland China on Tuesday following an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing her diplomatic mission as a “journey for peace” while Beijing continues pressing for control over the self-governing island.
Cheng Li-wun’s trip represents the first time a Taiwan opposition leader has visited China in ten years, occurring just months before a planned May meeting in Beijing between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking to media before her departure from Taipei, the Kuomintang party chairwoman emphasized that Taiwan should exhaust every possible avenue to avoid conflict and embrace opportunities for peaceful dialogue.
Beijing maintains its claim over the democratically-governed island and has refused to eliminate military action as an option for achieving unification.
“The purpose of this visit to mainland China is precisely to show the world that it is not just Taiwan that unilaterally hopes for peace,” Cheng said.
“I believe that through this journey for peace, everyone is even more eager to see the sincerity and determination of the CPC Central Committee to use peaceful dialogue and exchange to resolve all possible differences between the two sides,” she added, referring to the initials of the Communist Party of China.
Several dozen people gathered at Taipei’s airport to either support or protest Cheng’s departure, displaying banners and voicing their opinions.
The Trump administration announced in December a substantial arms package for Taiwan worth over $10 billion, including medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones, prompting anger from Beijing.
Beijing requires all nations with diplomatic relations, including the United States, to avoid official connections with Taipei. The U.S. serves as Taiwan’s most significant unofficial ally and weapons supplier, with the recent arms deal expected to feature prominently in discussions during the Xi-Trump meeting.
During a February phone conversation between Xi and Trump, the Chinese president declared that “Taiwan will never be allowed to separate from China,” according to a Chinese government readout of the call. “The U.S. must handle the issue of arms sales to Taiwan with prudence,” the statement continued.
Beijing also characterized the “Taiwan question” as “the most important issue in China-US relations.”
China has maintained an almost daily presence of military aircraft and ships near Taiwan, recently conducting two significant military drills around the island. The latest exercise occurred in December following the U.S. arms sale announcement and featured coordinated air, naval and missile forces in live-fire training.
The U.S. State Department condemned such military activities as unnecessarily escalating tensions and urged Beijing to end its military intimidation of Taiwan.
China refuses diplomatic engagement with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, labeling him a separatist.
Cheng’s visit to China coincides with the opposition-controlled parliament blocking efforts by Taiwan’s government to approve a $40 billion special defense spending package.
