Taiwan Opposition Leader’s China Visit Raises Concerns Over Beijing’s Influence, Analysts Say

The planned meeting between Cheng Li-wun and Xi Jinping could deepen political divisions and shape messaging ahead of possible U.S.–China talks, analysts said.

Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan's main opposition party, Kuomintang, arrives at the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents' Club in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 23, 2026. I-Hwa Cheng / AFP via Getty Images

A planned meeting between Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun and Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping is drawing mounting scrutiny in Taiwan, as analysts warn that it could deepen political divisions in Taiwan while advancing Beijing’s efforts to shape cross-strait narratives ahead of high-stakes U.S.–China talks.

Cheng, chair of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), departed Taipei on April 7 for a six-day visit to China—the first such trip by a sitting KMT leader in a decade. The visit is expected to culminate in a closely watched meeting with Xi, an event widely referred to as the “Xi–Cheng meeting.”

A Politically Charged Visit

Even before Cheng’s departure, the trip had ignited protests. Pro-independence groups gathered at Taipei’s Songshan Airport, declaring that Cheng “cannot represent Taiwan” and warning that cross-strait peace is an international—not purely domestic—issue.