Taiwan Opposition Chief Heads to China as Tensions Rise

Taipei— Cheng Li-wun, leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party, departed for China on Tuesday on what she described as a “peace” mission, as Taiwanese officials reported increased Chinese naval deployments around the island.

Cheng, chair of the Kuomintang (KMT), is scheduled to visit China from April 7 to 12 and may meet Xi Jinping, though Beijing has not confirmed such talks. Speaking before departure in Taipei, she said the trip aimed to reduce tensions and prevent conflict, calling it a “historic journey for peace.

”The visit comes amid heightened military pressure from China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to assert control. Beijing has also refused formal engagement with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, labeling him a separatist.

Taiwanese officials said Chinese naval activity around the island remains elevated. Kuan Bi-ling reported multiple warships positioned off Taiwan’s coasts, including deployments to the east, north, northwest and southwest, underscoring what authorities described as sustained military pressure.

Separately, Chiu Chui-cheng urged Beijing to engage with Taiwan’s elected government and called on Cheng to press Chinese authorities to halt military activities, including air and naval operations near the island.

The trip takes place ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Xi in Beijing, where Taiwan is expected to feature among key issues alongside trade.Cheng’s itinerary includes stops in Shanghai and Nanjing, where she is expected to visit the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Republic of China.

The visit marks the first by a KMT leader to China in a decade, reflecting renewed political outreach despite ongoing cross-strait tensions.