KMT chair leaves for China on 'peace tour' amid mixed reaction

Taipei, April 7 (CNA) Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) departed for China on Tuesday on a controversial "peace tour" that could include a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).

"Through this trip to mainland, we want to show the world that the desire for peace is not coming from Taiwan alone," Cheng said at a press conference at KMT headquarters in Taipei.

Speaking before her flight on Tuesday morning, she said people were eager to see "the sincerity and determination of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to engage in peaceful dialogue and exchanges across the Taiwan Strait and resolve any possible differences."

The main opposition party leader also said the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was wary of China and even fearful of it, adding that she hoped to use the six-day "peace tour" to show that "peace across the Taiwan Strait is not as difficult as they think."

"If the KMT and the CCP can reconcile and work together for peace, why can't Taiwan's blue (KMT) and green (DPP) camps do the same?" she asked.

Cheng added that she had not been able to meet President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) despite calling for a meeting between the leaders of Taiwan's two main parties after announcing the trip earlier.

Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory, to be "reunified" with the People's Republic of China (PRC) by force if necessary, despite the PRC never having had jurisdiction over the island.

It has used its military buildup to support an unending campaign of military intimidation against Taiwan, and some believe Beijing could launch a blockade or attack against the island to take it over.

Cheng said that although it is too late to prevent the wars and cross-strait tragedies of the past, it is not too late to prevent future conflict and spare this generation and the next from the devastation of war.

The KMT has taken a crucial first step, demonstrating to the international community that peace is always possible, she said.

Cheng's trip to China came at the invitation of the CCP Central Committee and Xi, whom Chinese authorities referred to as general secretary of the CCP when announcing the invitation on March 30.

The KMT chairperson was invited to lead a KMT delegation on a visit to Jiangsu, Shanghai and Beijing from Tuesday to Sunday, but it has not been confirmed whether she will meet Xi during the trip.

Cheng took a flight to Shanghai from Taipei Songshan Airport. Though groups supporting and opposing Cheng's trip gathered at the airport, neither caught sight of her, as she reportedly used the airport's special clearance channel rather than the departure hall.

Taiwan's government response

Earlier Tuesday, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) told reporters he wished the KMT well in its party activities, but would closely monitor the trip.

During a legislative interpellation session, Cho added that any party representative or politically influential figure who makes public contact with the CCP should be subject to intense scrutiny, particularly from the public and the media.

In Taiwan, such contacts are not currently governed by clear legal rules in the same way they are for government officials.

(By Sunny Lai, Wang Yang-yu, Chen Chun-hua and Wang Cheng-chung)

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*A correction was made on April 7, 2026: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that public contacts by government officials and lawmakers with the CCP are governed by clear legal rules. The reference to lawmakers has been removed, as a draft amendment to regulate such contacts for lawmakers has yet to be passed.