The chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan's main opposition party, confirmed she has accepted President Xi Jinping's invitation to visit China from 7 to 12 April. The visit aims to build bridges and reduce tensions amid strong criticism from the ruling party and scrutiny over the defense budget.
The Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan's main opposition party, and official Chinese media both reported that Ms. Cheng Li-wen, KMT chairwoman, has accepted President Xi Jinping's invitation to lead a delegation to mainland China from 7 to 12 April.
A statement from the KMT said Ms. Cheng "is pleased to accept the invitation" and hopes the visit will foster peaceful cross-strait cooperation, promote exchanges, and enhance well-being on both sides, although details about meetings with Chinese leaders have not been specified.
Ms. Cheng, who became party chair last November, insisted on meeting Xi Jinping before her official visit to the United States. This comes amid criticism that she is "too close to China." However, she told foreign media that talks with Xi carry important symbolic meaning and will lay the foundation for peace.
Ms. Cheng said, "I do not believe a single meeting can resolve issues accumulated over nearly a century, but I hope it can successfully build that bridge."
This move comes as Taiwan's politics heat up. President Lai Ching-te's government from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is pushing a special defense budget of 1.25 trillion Taiwan dollars (about 1.28 trillion baht) to strengthen the military against threats from China. Meanwhile, the KMT proposes a lower budget, with Ms. Cheng arguing that increasing military spending alone cannot create peace but that "political efforts" are the key.
China has cut high-level contacts with Taiwan since 2016 after the DPP took power, viewing President Lai Ching-te as a "separatist." This opposition leader's visit to China is closely watched to see if it will affect voter sentiment ahead of Taiwan's local elections scheduled for later this year.
Source: AFP