BEIJING/TAIPEI, 30 March 2026 — The chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), Cheng Li-wun, will visit China in April following an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a move that comes ahead of a planned visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing.
In a statement, the KMT said Cheng had “gladly” accepted the invitation and expressed hope that the trip would help improve cross-strait relations.
“We hope April’s visit marks the beginning of the new spring of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and this would be the first step for both sides to extend kindness and build mutual trust,” Cheng told reporters in Taipei.
“We will work hard for cross-strait peace and stability, making positive efforts, and let the whole world feel at ease,” she added.
Planned Visit Across Major Chinese Cities
According to China’s state news agency Xinhua, Cheng is scheduled to visit from April 7 to April 12, with stops in Beijing, Shanghai and Jiangsu province.
Cheng, a former lawmaker who became KMT chairwoman in October, has signalled a shift towards closer engagement with Beijing compared to her predecessor Eric Chu, who did not visit China during his tenure.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has refused to engage with the government of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, whom it labels a “separatist”. However, Beijing has continued to maintain dialogue with opposition figures from the KMT.
Political Tensions Remain Elevated
The planned visit has drawn criticism from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Its Secretary-General, Hsu Kuo-yung, said he hoped Cheng would convey Taiwan’s political position clearly to Beijing.
“I also ask her to make one thing especially clear: In Taiwan, we elect our own president,” Hsu said.
“And she should also ask Xi Jinping: When is China going to elect its president?” he added.
Timing Amid Defence Budget Debate
The visit comes as President Lai’s administration seeks parliamentary approval for an additional US$40 billion defence budget, aimed at strengthening Taiwan’s military capabilities.
While the KMT has said it supports defence strengthening, it has declined to approve what it describes as “blank cheques”, calling for greater transparency from the government.
Meanwhile, Trump is expected to visit China in mid-May for a summit that had been postponed from earlier in April due to geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, although Beijing has yet to formally confirm the trip.
Historical Context of Cross-Strait Relations
Relations between China and Taiwan remain complex, with no formal peace agreement since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, when the Republic of China government, led by the KMT, retreated to Taiwan.
In a rare moment of engagement, former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou met Xi Jinping in Singapore in 2015, marking the first meeting between leaders from both sides since the split.
