BEIJING – The leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), Cheng Li-wun, is set to visit China in April after accepting an invitation from President Xi Jinping, in a move that could impact already delicate cross-strait relations.
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According to a statement from the KMT, Cheng will travel from April 7 to 12, visiting Beijing, Shanghai, and Jiangsu province. The visit comes as China continues to engage opposition figures from Taiwan while refusing official dialogue with the government of President Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing labels a separatist.
KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun will travel to China next week at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. pic.twitter.com/VrFqpcUJgP
— TaiwanPlus News (@taiwanplusnews) March 30, 2026
Cheng expressed optimism about the trip, saying she hopes it will mark a “new spring” in cross-strait relations and help build mutual trust. “We will work hard for peace and stability and make positive efforts so the whole world feels at ease,” she told reporters in Taipei.
However, the planned visit has drawn criticism from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Its Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung urged Cheng to affirm Taiwan’s sovereignty during her meetings and stressed the island’s democratic system.
The development comes as Taiwan’s government seeks parliamentary approval for an additional $40 billion in defence spending, a proposal that has faced resistance from the opposition-controlled legislature.
The timing is also significant as Donald Trump is expected to visit China in May for a high-level summit, though details remain unconfirmed.
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Cross-strait tensions date back to 1949, when the KMT-led government retreated to Taiwan after losing a civil war to communist forces under Mao Zedong. Despite periodic engagements, including a landmark 2015 meeting between Ma Ying-jeou and Xi, relations remain strained.