Leader of Taiwan’s Opposition Concludes Two-Week Visit to the United States
On 15 June, Cheng Li-wun, the leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party the Kuomintang (KMT), concluded her two-week visit to the United States.
Cheng wanted to use the U.S. trip to bolster the KMT’s case that it can effectively manage relations with both Washington and Beijing. She undoubtedly hoped that a successful visit would increase the party’s electoral prospect as Taiwan prepares for a major local election later this year, to be followed by the next presidential elections in 2028.
Pamir anticipates that partisan politics in Taiwan will intensify as we head toward 2028, with implications for the future of Taiwan’s relationship with China and the United States. Washington and Beijing will no doubt be watching closely.
Cheng's April Meeting with Xi Jinping
Cheng's visit to the United States followed a highly controversial trip to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in April, when she met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to Cheng, her April “peace mission” to the PRC was aimed at preventing military conflict in the Taiwan Strait and touting the “1992 Consensus”[1] as a basis for stability in cross-Strait relations.[2] While in Beijing, Cheng proposed that both sides of the Taiwan Strait overcome their political differences and institutionalize a framework for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.[3] She also echoed Beijing’s call for the “rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
However, Cheng did not raise any concerns about PRC military coercion of Taiwan and Xi gave no indication that the Chinese military would reduce its presence in the Taiwan Strait. In fact, on 10 April, the day Cheng met with Xi, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry observed 17 PLA military aircraft and seven warships operating around Taiwan.[4]
Commenting on the Xi-Cheng meeting, a U.S. Department of State spokesperson told Reuters that meaningful dialogue across the Taiwan Strait must involve Taiwan’s democratically elected government.[5]
U.S. Arms Sales and Taiwan’s Defense Budget
Looming over Cheng’s visit to the U.S. was the Trump administration’s decision to pause a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan. Earlier, the KMT and its ally the Taiwan People’s Party, which together hold a slim majority in the Taiwan legislature, forced a one-third cut in the DPP’s proposed $40 billion arms procurement budget.[6] On 10 June, Cheng met with U.S. lawmakers in Washington, D.C., and defended the cuts as a decision that was made out of concern for fiscal responsibility.[7] It is unclear whether Cheng addressed the PRC’s opposition to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan during her meeting with U.S. lawmakers.
Although Cheng had expressed interest in meeting with President Trump during her U.S. visit, this did not materialize and she acknowledged that such a meeting was unlikely.[8] A previously scheduled meeting with officials at the U.S. National Security Council was reportedly canceled at the last minute, with no public explanation given.[9]
It remains to be seen whether the U.S. visit will strengthen the KMT’s electoral stock in Taiwan. However, Taiwan’s political landscape, which is already strongly polarized, will be even more hotly contested in the years to come.
[1] A former KMT official coined the term “1992 Consensus,” which it states that Mainland China and Taiwan are all part of one China. However, the KMT’s position is that the Republic of China (the official name of Taiwan) is the legitimate government of China. In contrast, the Chinese Communist Party’s position is that the PRC is the only legitimate government of all of China, including Taiwan.
[2] //https://www.kmt.org.tw/2026/04/2026.html//
[3] //https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202604100314.aspx//
[4] //https://www.mnd.gov.tw/news/plaact/86465//
[5] //https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinas-xi-meets-taiwan-opposition-leader-beijing-state -media-says-2026-04-10///
[6] //https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-opposition-leader-would-be-very-willing-meet-trump-us-trip-2026-06-01///
[7] //https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3356785/kmt-chief-cheng-li-wun-meets-trump-ally-steve-daines-washington//
[8] //https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/charismatic-but-naive-taiwanese-opposition-kmt-chief-cheng-li-wuns-peacemaker-pitch-leaves-us//
[9] //https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2026/06/12/2003858963//
