Taiwan KMT leader Cheng Li-wun pitches Beijing approach in Washington
Per the South China Morning Post, Taiwan's main opposition KMT chair Cheng Li-wun used a two-week US tour to present Washington with a different reading of cross-Strait ties. Officials said it remains unclear whether the trip will translate into concrete policy shifts.
According to the South China Morning Post, Cheng Li-wun, chair of Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), returned from a two-week US tour spanning San Francisco, Boston, New York, Washington and Los Angeles. She called the trip 'beyond expectations'.
In meetings with think tanks, Cheng presented a position that emphasises keeping channels with Beijing open as a way to manage tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Analysts told SCMP that her visit gave US researchers an alternative lens on the KMT's approach to China policy.
Washington's stance on arms sales to Taipei and technology export controls is unlikely to change near-term. But some experts told SCMP that the KMT's outreach could matter for next year's Taiwan local elections, where positioning on cross-Strait diplomacy is expected to remain a defining factor in vote share.
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