KMT delegation visits mainland China after decade, signals renewed cross-strait engagement

BEIJING: A delegation from Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT), led by chairwoman Cheng Li-wun, arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday to begin a multi-city visit to mainland China that will continue through Sunday.

The delegation is scheduled to travel to Jiangsu Province and Beijing, marking the first time in a decade that a KMT chairperson has led such a visit. The trip is being viewed as a significant development in renewed engagement between the KMT and the Communist Party of China.

Chinese officials have described the visit as an important step in strengthening exchanges and dialogue under current circumstances. A spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said such interactions could play a positive role in maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and advancing cross-strait relations.

Cheng, who assumed leadership of the KMT in October last year, had repeatedly signalled her intention to visit the mainland. Speaking ahead of the trip in Taipei, she said the visit aligns with mainstream public opinion in Taiwan and underscores the importance of choosing peace.

“For the sake of both sides of the Taiwan Strait, for regional stability, and for the well-being of the next generation, we must firmly choose the path of peace,” she said.

She added that her visit follows the same political foundation as earlier mainland trips by former KMT leaders Lien Chan and Ma Ying-jeou, including adherence to the “1992 Consensus” and opposition to Taiwan independence.

Cross-strait relations remain shaped by historical divisions dating back to the Chinese civil war, which ended in 1949 with the establishment of the People's Republic of China and the relocation of KMT forces to Taiwan.

Despite decades of political differences, Beijing maintains that Taiwan is an integral part of its territory. This position is also linked to United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, which recognized the PRC as the sole legal representative of China at the United Nations.

The latest visit is expected to test the scope for renewed political dialogue and cooperation at a time of shifting regional dynamics.