Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun used a visit to Washington to argue that direct talks with Beijing are necessary to preserve peace across the Taiwan Strait, drawing renewed scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers and Taiwan’s ruling party as tensions with China continue to rise.
Cheng, chair of the Kuomintang, said her party remains committed to Taiwan’s defense but believes stability requires engagement with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and a rejection of policies that could move the island toward formal independence.
“I think our basic stances are the same — that is peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and to avoid any unnecessary war,” Cheng told reporters after a three-day stop in the U.S. capital.
Her remarks came after meetings with American lawmakers, scholars and Trump administration representatives. Cheng declined to provide details about her discussions with administration officials.
“I believe that Cheng Li-wun convinced Trump administration representatives to help Xi Jinping achieve reunification with Taiwan, without using force,” said one observer.
The visit highlighted a widening political divide over how Taiwan should respond to mounting pressure from Beijing.
China claims the self-governing island as its territory and has repeatedly stated that it reserves the right to use force to achieve what it calls reunification. At the same time, Beijing has increased military activity around Taiwan, conducting regular operations near the island in recent years.
Cheng has promoted a sharply different approach. After meeting Xi in Beijing in April, she has argued that dialogue with China is essential to maintaining peace, stability and economic prosperity in the region. Her party continues to endorse the view that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to a broader Chinese nation, a position rejected by Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
“To initiate the dialogue cross-strait with Xi Jinping doesn’t mean that we will give up the deterrence strength in Taiwan, and, of course, it doesn’t mean that we will compromise or give up our democracy and freedom,” Cheng said.
She described Xi as “very gentle and very nice and very real” and said she believed the Chinese leader wanted to resolve the Taiwan issue peacefully and avoid war.
Those comments immediately collided with concerns in Taipei and Washington that Beijing’s actions tell a different story. Taiwan’s government has repeatedly pointed to Chinese military exercises and coercive measures as evidence that Beijing is increasing pressure on the island rather than reducing it.
The debate is unfolding as uncertainty grows over the future direction of U.S.-Taiwan relations. Congress has advanced a proposed $14 billion arms package for Taiwan, while the Trump administration has not yet approved it. The administration previously approved an $11 billion arms package in December and has continued to emphasize deterrence against any attempt to alter the status quo by force.
Washington officially recognizes Beijing’s position that Taiwan is part of China, but the United States opposes the use of force to settle the dispute and remains committed under U.S. law to providing Taiwan with defensive capabilities.
Questions about Taiwan’s military preparedness have become a central issue in Cheng’s meetings with American officials. Taiwan’s opposition-controlled legislature recently approved a $25 billion special defense budget, substantially below the $40 billion originally sought by President Lai Ching-te.
Cheng defended the reduction, saying lawmakers could not approve what she characterized as a proposal lacking sufficient details. She said the opposition instead supported an interim approach focused on priority purchases of American weapons.
Some U.S. lawmakers remain skeptical.
Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska said after meeting Cheng that Taiwan’s major political parties must work together to complete defense funding and strengthen the island’s security.
Rep. Tom Suozzi of New York expressed concern that resistance to higher defense spending could signal a drift toward positions more favorable to Beijing and weaken deterrence.
Rep. John Rose of Tennessee said he remained committed to supporting Taiwan’s sovereignty and expanding relations between Washington and Taipei.
No public evidence emerged from Cheng’s visit that Trump administration officials endorsed Chinese reunification with Taiwan or agreed to support Beijing’s objectives. The administration has not publicly announced any change in longstanding U.S. policy regarding the Taiwan Strait.
The dispute nevertheless exposes a growing political fault line. One side argues that stronger defenses and closer ties with Washington are the best way to prevent conflict. The other insists that sustained dialogue with Beijing is the only realistic path to peace.
As China’s military pressure grows and Taiwan’s domestic politics become more polarized, the struggle over which vision will prevail is becoming one of the most consequential questions in East Asia.
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