The president of Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), Cheng Li-wun, will travel to China between April 7 and 12 after accepting an invitation from the dictator Chinese, Xi Jinping. The visit, which will include stops in Beijing, Shanghai and Jiangsu province, comes at a time of high political sensitivity and has raised strong questions within the island because of the message it could send both internally and internationally
.The announcement comes a few weeks before the planned visit of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, to Beijing, adding a significant geopolitical component. In this context, the opposition leader's trip is seen by some analysts as a maneuver that could interfere with Taiwan's international strategy and weaken its position vis-a-vis
China.Cheng Li-wun, who took over the leadership of the KMT in October, has promoted a more direct approach with Beijing, making a difference with his predecessor, Eric Chu, who avoided such visits during his tenure. The leader has defended her decision, arguing that she seeks to promote peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, in addition to generating mutual trust between
both parties.
However, this position has come under increasing criticism within Taiwan. Political sectors and analysts believe that the KMT's approach to Beijing could be interpreted as a sign of weakness in the face of a Chinese government that does not recognize the island's sovereignty. China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, refuses to talk with the current Taiwanese president, Lai Ching-te, whom it describes as a “separatist”, but it maintains
