Taiwan Opposition Chief Touts China Talks as Key to Avoiding War

Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun used a high-profile visit to Washington to defend her party’s engagement with Beijing, arguing that dialogue with China is essential to preventing conflict while insisting that Taiwan must maintain strong defenses and democratic freedoms.

Cheng, chair of the Kuomintang (KMT) , said her party shares the goal of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and avoiding a war that could destabilize the region. Her remarks came during a three-day stop in Washington as part of a two-week US tour aimed at easing concerns in American political circles about the KMT’s approach toward China. Reuters reported that Cheng met nine US lawmakers, policy experts and think-tank representatives, seeking to correct what she called “misunderstandings” about her party’s China policy.

The visit follows Cheng’s landmark April trip to Beijing, where she became the first sitting KMT leader in nearly a decade to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping . During that meeting, both sides emphasized peace and dialogue, although critics in Taiwan accused Cheng of moving too close to Beijing.

Cheng rejected suggestions that engagement with China weakens Taiwan’s security. She stressed that pursuing cross-strait dialogue does not mean abandoning deterrence capabilities , democracy or freedom. She also urged both Washington and Beijing not to treat Taiwan as a geopolitical bargaining chip, warning that the island must not become a “pawn” in great-power competition.

The debate comes as Taiwan faces growing military pressure from China and uncertainty over US policy. Congress has given preliminary approval to a USD 14 billion arms package , while the Trump administration has yet to finalize it. Taiwan recently conducted its first live-fire exercise using US-supplied HIMARS rocket systems, underscoring efforts to strengthen its defenses.

US lawmakers remain divided. Some welcomed engagement with all Taiwanese political parties, while others warned that the KMT’s reduction of a proposed USD 40 billion defense plan to USD 25 billion could weaken Taiwan’s deterrence against China. Cheng responded that the party sought greater spending transparency rather than a “blank check,” and said it supports prioritizing purchases of American weapons.

Describing Xi as “gentle” and “real,” Cheng said she believes China’s leader prefers a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue. However, Taiwan’s government continues to cite Beijing’s frequent military activities around the island as evidence of an escalating threat.