Cheng Li-wun, the leader of the opposition in Taiwan, has begun a visit to China, hoping to be a "bridge for peace" between the two countries.

Cheng Li-wun, the president of the Kuomintang (KMT), arrived today in China, marking the first visit of a KMT leader in the last decade. She happily accepted the invitation of President Xi Jinping, wishing to be a "bridge for peace." Relations between Taiwan and China have deteriorated since Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party became president in 2016, refusing to recognize the concept of a single Chinese nation. Cheng will have meetings with Xi during her six-day visit in the cities of Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing. Although the KMT has always had warm relations with China, Cheng's more open approach contrasts with the caution of her predecessors. Her visit comes against a backdrop of growing skepticism towards the US in Taiwan, especially due to Donald Trump's mixed messages. Cheng aims to present herself as a leader capable of maintaining exchanges between the two sides and reducing tensions. China considers Taiwan a separatist province, but many Taiwanese see themselves as part of a distinct nation. Although the US has no formal relations with Taiwan, it remains the island's main arms supplier. Cheng, who started as a supporter of independence, is now trying to build a reputation as a peacemaker, but her accommodating stance towards Beijing is unpopular in Taiwan. Critics see her as opportunistic and lacking principles, which affects public trust in her.