{"id":42933,"date":"2026-04-21T16:33:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T14:33:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/europeanvalues.cz\/?p=42933"},"modified":"2026-04-22T16:45:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T14:45:11","slug":"agent-of-change-cheng-li-wuns-visit-to-china-and-the-politics-of-cross-strait-engagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/europeanvalues.cz\/en\/agent-of-change-cheng-li-wuns-visit-to-china-and-the-politics-of-cross-strait-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"Agent of Change? Cheng Li-wun\u2019s Visit to China and the Politics of Cross-Strait Engagement"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"42933\" class=\"elementor elementor-42933\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7ca14390 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7ca14390\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-39acf442\" data-id=\"39acf442\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71d91666 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"71d91666\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Photo: Kuomintang headquarters, photo by Lin Wei-Lun<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29e4deff elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"29e4deff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-29e4deff{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-212dd9e4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"212dd9e4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1c622ba0\" data-id=\"1c622ba0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-25b30643 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"25b30643\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-7d32103e\" data-id=\"7d32103e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-50b3a68e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"50b3a68e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>What is happening?<\/h2><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cheng Li-wun (\u912d\u9e97\u6587), chair of Taiwan\u2019s Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, KMT), completed a visit to China last week, during which <strong>she met with Xi Jinping<\/strong> (\u7fd2\u8fd1\u5e73), marking the first high-level encounter between KMT and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership in a decade. The meeting reflects Beijing\u2019s longstanding approach of engaging primarily with Taiwanese political actors who <strong>accept its position that Taiwan is part of China<\/strong>, while avoiding official contact with successive Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administrations.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><h2>What is the broader picture?<\/h2><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The visit followed a precedent set by former KMT Chairman\u00a0Lien Chan (\u9023\u6230), who in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cna.com.tw\/news\/acn\/202603300127.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2005<\/a>\u00a0 traveled to China and met with\u00a0Hu Jintao (\u80e1\u9326\u6fe4)\u00a0in his capacity as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Notably,\u00a0Cheng joined the KMT after leaving the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) at Lien\u2019s invitation, underscoring a personal and political continuity with this earlier moment of cross-strait engagement. The trip took place amid ongoing <strong>domestic political tensions<\/strong>, as the KMT and its opposition coalition partner, the Taiwan People\u2019s Party, have <strong>delayed consideration of a proposed US$40 billion defense budget<\/strong> put forward by President Lai Ching-te (\u8cf4\u6e05\u5fb7), while advancing alternative proposals for significantly smaller amounts. The KMT-led opposition coalition currently holds a narrow majority in Taiwan\u2019s legislature, which it has used to obstruct significant parts of\u00a0Lai\u2019s policy agenda. Opposition lawmakers have, for instance, delayed progress on the 2026 general budget and initiated impeachment proceedings against the president, reflecting a broader context of political polarization.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cheng emerged as a dark-horse candidate, gaining prominence through relatively hardline positions. She has previously stated <strong>her hope to see \u201c <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/video.ltn.com.tw\/article\/PSmLfSDYJZM\/PLI7xntdRxhw2IuifE7D6DS5xgEqoJ3Zwo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Taiwanese proud to be Chinese<\/strong><\/a><strong> ,\u201d<\/strong> and <strong>has <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dominotheory.com\/the-new-kmt-chair-and-the-russian-dictator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>framed<\/strong><\/a><strong> Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine as a defensive response to NATO expansion. <\/strong>These comments have drawn controversy and have been widely interpreted as aligning with narratives <a href=\"https:\/\/thediplomat.com\/2026\/04\/the-domestic-politics-of-cheng-li-wuns-china-trip\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">associated<\/a> with Beijing-friendly media.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite her broader political positioning, Cheng emphasized that unification is not an immediate objective, <a href=\"https:\/\/asia.nikkei.com\/politics\/international-relations\/taiwan-tensions\/taiwan-kmt-leader-cheng-li-wun-to-visit-china-expected-to-meet-xi?na_traffic=paid&amp;utm_term=china%20news&amp;utm_campaign=BA_Asia_keyword&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;hsa_acc=9345040765&amp;hsa_cam=1710755912&amp;hsa_grp=179194260478&amp;hsa_ad=747536733340&amp;hsa_src=g&amp;hsa_tgt=kwd-308122965526&amp;hsa_kw=china%20news&amp;hsa_mt=b&amp;hsa_net=adwords&amp;hsa_ver=3&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=1710755912&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADqAKqd-7GCwtdb1R4wPXj-hNoygT&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw-pHPBhCdARIsAHXYWP9isH2SfUNwKJkoKHvakro4onCLCxHh9lUYuP4JkCAido5FL-HznHcaAozXEALw_wcB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stating<\/a> that, \u201cwhat we need to address now is how to create peaceful and stable cross-strait relations.\u201d At the same time, she called for the so-called\u00a01992 Consensus\u00a0to serve as the foundational framework for cross-strait exchanges, aligning her position with a long-standing KMT policy line. Cheng also outlined several areas for potential cooperation between Taiwan and China, including artificial intelligence, sustainable development, disaster prevention, healthcare, and carbon reduction. To engage younger generations, particularly those born after 1992, she emphasized the importance of expanding youth exchanges. She further noted that\u00a0Xi had suggested energy as a possible field of cooperation. Most ominously, her rhetoric during the visit incorporated phrasing commonly <a href=\"https:\/\/thediplomat.com\/2026\/04\/the-domestic-politics-of-cheng-li-wuns-china-trip\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">associated<\/a>\u00a0 with Xi\u2019s discourse on cross-strait relations.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her engagement with Xi has drawn fire from the ruling DPP, echoing similar criticism of a 2015 meeting between then-KMT Chairman and President Ma Ying-jeou (\u99ac\u82f1\u4e5d) in Singapore. DPP Secretary-General\u00a0Hsu Kuo-yung (\u5f90\u570b\u52c7)\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cna.com.tw\/news\/aipl\/202604070064.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">argued<\/a> that while <strong>KMT\u2013CCP exchanges may be party-to-party interactions, they carry direct implications for Taiwan\u2019s national security<\/strong> and governance. He stressed that any such engagement must safeguard Taiwan\u2019s sovereignty and uphold its core values of democracy, freedom, and human rights, and called on Cheng to clearly justify the purpose of the meeting. Similarly, Premier\u00a0Cho Jung-tai\u00a0(\u5353\u69ae\u6cf0) underscored that contacts with the CCP should be subject to stringent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cna.com.tw\/news\/aipl\/202604070044.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">oversight<\/a>. Even within the ranks of the KMT, <strong>the visit was reportedly <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cna.com.tw\/news\/aipl\/202604070064.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>not approved<\/strong><\/a><strong> by all members<\/strong>, exposing internal divisions over the party\u2019s strategic direction in cross-strait relations.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These concerns have been amplified in discussions regarding the trip\u2019s funding. <strong>The six-day trip<\/strong>, involving 35 participants and costing NT$4.8 million, was not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cna.com.tw\/news\/aipl\/202604160073.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">financed<\/a>\u00a0 by the KMT itself but <strong>through public funds<\/strong> allocated via an application to the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, currently chaired by\u00a0legislative speaker Han Kuo-yu (\u97d3\u570b\u745c), a former mayor of Kaohsiung and the KMT\u2019s losing candidate in the 2020 presidential election. This funding arrangement has drawn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cna.com.tw\/news\/aipl\/202604160073.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">political scrutiny<\/a> in Taiwan, particularly regarding the use of public funds for party-to-party exchanges.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h2>Why does it matter?<\/h2><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Culminating as it did in a high-level meeting with Xi, the visit to China by Cheng, has been <strong>framed as both a strategic breakthrough and a reflection of shifting dynamics within the KMT.<\/strong> With Cheng positioning herself as an <strong>\u201c<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.storm.mg\/article\/11121937\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>agent of change<\/strong><\/a><strong>,\u201d<\/strong> her ascension to the party reins has signaled a challenge to the party\u2019s traditional leadership and a move away from its ambiguity on cross-strait policy in recent years. The trip, alongside Beijing\u2019s rollout of new cross-strait measures, is portrayed as opening a window for renewed engagement, though its broader implications for Taiwan\u2019s domestic politics, cross-strait relations, and regional security remain uncertain.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the same time, Cheng\u2019s rise and approach highlight a deeper shift within the KMT, where a figure previously seen as outside the party\u2019s core establishment has been able to challenge long-standing strategic ambiguity and open a new, more assertive line on cross-strait relations. This repositioning unfolds against a backdrop of domestic political polarization, legislative gridlock, and shifting public sentiment, which together create both constraints and opportunities for redefining party strategy. Beijing\u2019s high-level reception and the rollout of new cross-strait measures indicate a <strong>willingness to engage selectively with Taiwanese political actors who signal alignment with its preferred framework.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Photo: Kuomintang headquarters, photo by Lin Wei-Lun Foto: \u00fast\u0159ed\u00ed Kuomintangu, Tchaj-pej, vyfotil: Wei-Lun Lin What is happening? Cheng Li-wun (\u912d\u9e97\u6587), chair of Taiwan\u2019s Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, KMT), completed a visit to China last week, during which she met with Xi Jinping (\u7fd2\u8fd1\u5e73), marking the first high-level encounter between KMT and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":42921,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[500],"tags":[538],"class_list":["post-42933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-olimpia-kot"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Agent of Change? Cheng Li-wun\u2019s Visit to China and the Politics of Cross-Strait Engagement - European Values Center for Security Policy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/europeanvalues.cz\/en\/agent-of-change-cheng-li-wuns-visit-to-china-and-the-politics-of-cross-strait-engagement\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Agent of Change? Cheng Li-wun\u2019s Visit to China and the Politics of Cross-Strait Engagement - European Values Center for Security Policy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Photo: Kuomintang headquarters, photo by Lin Wei-Lun Foto: \u00fast\u0159ed\u00ed Kuomintangu, Tchaj-pej, vyfotil: Wei-Lun Lin What is happening? Cheng Li-wun (\u912d\u9e97\u6587), chair of Taiwan\u2019s Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, KMT), completed a visit to China last week, during which she met with Xi Jinping (\u7fd2\u8fd1\u5e73), marking the first high-level encounter between KMT and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/europeanvalues.cz\/en\/agent-of-change-cheng-li-wuns-visit-to-china-and-the-politics-of-cross-strait-engagement\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"European Values Center for Security Policy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-21T14:33:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-22T14:45:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/europeanvalues.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cheng__web.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2160\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1136\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"K\u00e1ja Kabe\u0161ov\u00e1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"K\u00e1ja Kabe\u0161ov\u00e1\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/europeanvalues.cz\\\/agent-of-change-cheng-li-wuns-visit-to-china-and-the-politics-of-cross-strait-engagement\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/europeanvalues.cz\\\/agent-of-change-cheng-li-wuns-visit-to-china-and-the-politics-of-cross-strait-engagement\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"K\u00e1ja Kabe\u0161ov\u00e1\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/europeanvalues.cz\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/1dad131c1c5d60a777b1a204a2c2605c\"},\"headline\":\"Agent of Change? 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