Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun visited mainland China from 7 to 12 April 2026 at the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). During her visit, she visited Nanjing, Shanghai and Beijing. She met with CCP general secretary Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 10 April 2026. This meeting between the leaders of the Kuomintang and the CCP was the first in nearly ten years since Hung Hsiu-chu met with Xi in 2016.
Timeline
[edit]
Preparation
[edit]After being elected as the chairperson of the Kuomintang in 2025, Cheng Li-wun said she hoped to meet with Xi Jinping to build goodwill and reduce differences.[1] On 30 March 2026, Xi Jinping formally invited Cheng to lead a delegation to visit the mainland, which Cheng accepted.[2][3][4]
Itinerary
[edit]7 April
[edit]
On 7 April 2026, Cheng Li-wun took Shanghai Airlines flight FM852 from Taipei Songshan Airport and arrived at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 1:35 pm. Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office, was in charge of picking her up. After arriving in Shanghai, she took the high-speed rail to Nanjing.[5][6]
8 April
[edit]On the morning of April 8, Cheng Li-wun visited Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing. In the opening of her memorial address, she mentioned "115 years of the Republic of China". In her subsequent public remarks, she mentioned "Republic of China" and the 1992 Consensus.[7][8]
At noon, Cheng Li-wun met with Xin Changxing, the Party Secretary of Jiangsu, at the Jinling Hotel in Nanjing. Xin Changxing said that there is a lot of cooperation between Jiangsu and Taiwan, describing it as " a vivid portrayal of the close ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait"; Cheng Li-wun also said that Jiangsu is "the most brilliant and exquisite representative of Chinese civilization and culture".[9][10] After finishing their trip in Nanjing, Cheng Li-wun and her entourage took the high-speed rail to Shanghai.[11]

In the afternoon, Cheng Li-wun and her group visited the Shanghai headquarters of Meituan in Yangpu District. Afterwards, Cheng Li-wun experienced drone delivery, and Meituan staff also gave Cheng Li-wun a commemorative doll in the shape of a kangaroo. Cheng Li-wun said with a smile, "I must bring the doll back to Taiwan, and I also want to bring Meituan back to Taiwan." She also pointed out that the low-altitude economy is the future trend and "is a very good experience for Taiwan." In the evening, the delegation came to Yangpu Riverside and then visited the local reading salon, met Ma Boyong and Fan Deng, and then learned about the situation of the Taiwanese youths on site through Fan Deng's introduction.[12]
In the evening, Cheng Li-wun met with Chen Jining, a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party and the Party Secretary of Shanghai. Afterwards, accompanied by Song Tao, Cheng Li-wun took the Shanghai Star for a night cruise on the Huangpu River.[13]
9 April
[edit]On the morning of April 9, Cheng Li-wun and her delegation visited Yangshan Port. Afterwards, she gave a speech, saying that "the gift I hope to bring to my relatives and friends in Taiwan is peace" and that "the birds that fly in the sky should be birds, not missiles; the fish that swim in the sea should be fish, not warships". Afterwards, Cheng Li-wun and her delegation visited Comac and visited the C909, C919 and C929 prototypes in turn. Comac Chairman He Dongfeng, who accompanied them, said that "he hopes that the C919 can fly to Taiwan" and presented Cheng Li-wun with an airplane model.[14]
At noon, Cheng Li-wun met with nearly 300 Taiwanese business representatives at the Pudong East Suburb Hotel in Shanghai. At the meeting, she said that "only peace can bring prosperity to Taiwan." In the afternoon, Cheng Li-wun and her delegation concluded their visit to Shanghai and went to Beijing.[14]
10 April
[edit]At 11:00 a.m. on 10 April, Cheng Li-wun met with Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, in the East Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xi was accompanied by the chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Wang Huning, the director of the CCP General Office Cai Qi, the director of the Taiwan Affairs Office Song Tao and chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission Zheng Shanjie.[15] Xi told Cheng that "Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the Chinese nation" and said cross-strait relations should be "firmly in the hands of the Chinese people".[16] Cheng praised Xi's leadership, saying he enabled China to achieve complete poverty eradication and building a "moderately prosperous society." She proposed that Taiwan and mainland China work together on preserving Chinese history and promoting Chinese culture, enhancing common well-being and promoting exchange and cooperation and ensuring better cross-strait relationship and enhancing people's well-being. She also spoke of her hope of one day hosting Xi in Taiwan.[17] At noon, Xi hosted a banquet for Cheng Li-wun and her delegation.[18]
In the afternoon, Cheng Li-wun held a press conference with Chinese and foreign journalists at the China World Hotel in Beijing, where she introduced the meeting and answered reporters' questions.[19][20] Cheng Li-wun and her delegation also visited the Tsinghua University High School to learn about the achievements in artificial intelligence education.[21]
11 April
[edit]On the morning of 11 April, Cheng Li-wun visited the Biyun Temple in Xiangshan, Beijing, and bowed three times to the cenotaph of Sun Yat-sen. She also saw a white pine tree planted by Lien Chan, then chairman of the Kuomintang, in 2006.[22] Afterwards, she visited the Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone Exhibition Center.[23]
At noon, Cheng Li-wun met with Yin Li, a member of the CCP Politburo and the Party Secretary of Beijing, at the Beijing Hotel. She mentioned that there are three areas where exchanges with Beijing should be strengthened, including exchanges of archives and cultural relics between the two parties on the Second Sino-Japanese War, the retrocession of Taiwan and party history, cultural and tourism exchanges between the two sides, and cooperation and exchanges on science and technology industries and urban governance experience. She also pointed out that after the Kuomintang achieves a change of ruling party, the exchanges between the Palace Museums of the two sides will be restored.[24][25][26]
In the afternoon, Cheng Li-wun and her entourage visited the Palace Museum. Accompanied by Wang Xudong, the director of the Palace Museum, they visited for about an hour.[27][28]
12 April
[edit]On the morning of 12 April, Cheng Li-wun and her entourage visited the Xiaomi car factory. She expressed her hope to bring a purple Xiaomi YU7 back to Taiwan.[29] On the afternoon of 12 April, Cheng Li-wun took a plane and left Beijing to return to Taiwan. Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office, went to the Beijing Capital International Airport to see her off.[30] On 12 April, in order to implement the spirit of Xi Jinping's speech when he met with Cheng Li-wun, the Taiwan Affairs Office issued ten policy measures to promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, including:[31]
- Explore the establishment of a regular communication mechanism between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party
- Establish a formalized platform for two-way exchanges between young people of the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party
- Promote water, electricity, gas, and bridge connections between coastal areas of Fujian and Kinmen and Matsu
- Promote the full restoration of normalized cross-strait air passenger flights
- Facilitating the import of Taiwanese agricultural and fishery products that meet inspection and quarantine standards into mainland China
- Improve the management of cross-strait fishery access
- Facilitating the registration of qualified Taiwanese food production enterprises in mainland China and the import of Taiwanese food products into mainland China
- Study the possibility of establishing new small-scale commodity trading markets with Taiwan in suitable locations
- Permit Taiwanese TV dramas, documentaries, and animated films to be broadcast on mainland satellite TV channels and online video platforms
- Promote the resumption of the pilot program for individual travel to Taiwan Island for residents of Shanghai and Fujian provinces
Reactions
[edit]On April 7, 2026, on the eve of Kuomintang chairperson Cheng Li-wen's departure for China and her scheduled meeting with CCP general secretary Xi Jinping, several small local Taiwanese political parties and civil society groups protested, including Taiwan Statebuilding Party, Green Party Taiwan, New Power Party, Taiwan Obasang Political Equality Party, Economic Democracy Union, World United Formosans for Independence, and Taiwan National Alliance, among others. The protesters argued that Cheng Li-wen's trip lacked the legitimacy to represent the will of the Taiwanese people and opposed any cross-strait negotiations involving public authority or national security that had not been authorized. Meanwhile, on the other side of the airport, groups supporting cross-strait dialogue held a rally, advocating for the promotion of peace through exchange.[32] According to The Economist, some inside the KMT considered the visit an "overreach" on the part of Cheng Li-wun.[33]
References
[edit]- ↑ "若有鄭習會 鄭麗文:化解過去的歷史歧見、展現促成兩岸和平誠意" [If a meeting between Cheng and Xi is held, Cheng Li-wun says it will help resolve past historical differences and demonstrate sincerity in promoting cross-strait peace.]. TaiSounds. 2025-10-31. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
- ↑ "劍指軍購?國共突宣布︰4/7~12習近平邀鄭麗文率團訪中國" [Targeting arms purchases? KMT and CPC suddenly announce: Xi Jinping invites Cheng Li-wen to lead a delegation to China from April 7th to 12th.]. Liberty Times (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 2026-03-30. Archived from the original on 2026-03-30. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
- ↑ "Taiwan opposition leader accepts Xi's invite to visit China". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
- ↑ "KMT chair 'gladly accepts' Xi's invitation to visit China next week - Focus Taiwan". Focus Taiwan. 2026-03-30. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
- ↑ "鄭麗文抵達上海開始訪問 中共中台辦主任宋濤接機" [Cheng Li-wun arrived in Shanghai for a visit; Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, greeted her at the airport.]. Central News Agency (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 2026-04-07. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ↑ 赵博; 王承昊 (2026-04-07). "郑丽文率团抵达上海开启大陆参访行程" [Cheng Li-wun led a delegation to Shanghai to begin their visit to mainland China.]. Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ↑ "鄭麗文南京謁陵 致詞提及「中華民國」「九二共識」". Central News Agency (in Chinese). 2026-04-08. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
- ↑ "郑丽文中山陵谒陵祭文提及"民国"" [Cheng Li-wun's memorial address at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum mentions the "Republic of China" period.]. Lianhe Zaobao (in Chinese). 2026-04-08. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
- ↑ "鄭麗文南京會見江蘇省委書記信長星!當地有3232家台企、2萬台胞定居:「兩岸是不斷的命運共同體」" [Cheng Li-wun met with Xin Changxing, Secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee, in Nanjing! There are 3,232 Taiwanese-invested enterprises and 20,000 Taiwanese residents in the area: "The two sides of the Taiwan Strait are an ever-growing community of shared destiny."]. The Storm Media (in Chinese). 2026-04-08. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
- ↑ "鄭麗文主席會晤江蘇省委書記信長星 強調在連主席和平之旅21年後,第一站仍訪南京意義非凡 蘇台交流成果證明兩岸文化相通 經貿互利" [Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun met with Jiangsu Provincial Party Secretary Xin Changxing, emphasizing the extraordinary significance of Nanjing being the first stop on President Lien Chan's peace tour 21 years later. She also highlighted the fruitful exchanges between Jiangsu and Taiwan, demonstrating cultural affinity and mutually beneficial economic and trade relations across the Taiwan Strait.]. Kuomintang (in Chinese). 2026-04-08. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
- ↑ "鄭麗文搭上海之星夜遊黃浦江!李德維尹乃菁爭相與宋濤合影留念" [Cheng Li-wun took the Shanghai Star for a night cruise on the Huangpu River! Li Dewei and Yin Naijing eagerly took photos with Song Tao.]. NOWnews (in Chinese). 2026-04-08. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
- ↑ "鄭麗文上海體驗無人機送餐:值得台灣借鑒" [Cheng Li-wun experiences drone food delivery in Shanghai: Worthy of Taiwan's reference]. Ta Kung Wen Wei (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2026-04-09. Retrieved 2026-04-09.
- ↑ "鄭麗文夜遊黃浦江 宋濤親自作陪" [Cheng Li-wun takes a night cruise on the Huangpu River, accompanied by Song Tao.]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 2026-04-08. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
- 1 2 "鄭麗文參訪上海洋山港發表講話:在天空飛的應該是鳥 不是導彈" [Cheng Li-wun visited Shanghai Yangshan Port and delivered a speech: What should be flying in the sky are birds, not missiles.]. HK01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2026-04-09. Retrieved 2026-04-09.
- ↑ Wei, Alcott (2026-04-10). "Peace is a common wish, Xi Jinping tells Taiwan's opposition leader Cheng Li-wun". South China Morning Post. Retrieved .
- Yian, Lee (10 April 2026). . .
- "喊「尊敬的習近平」!鄭麗文大誇脫貧:盼有天我當主人在台灣歡迎總書記" [Shouting "Respected Xi Jinping!" Cheng Li-wen boasts about poverty alleviation: Hoping one day I can be the host in Taiwan and welcome the General Secretary.]. Sanlih News Network (in Chinese). 2026-04-10. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "习近平高规格午宴接待郑丽文 桌上有宴请美国总统名菜" [Xi Jinping hosted a high-level luncheon for Cheng Li-wun, featuring dishes served at banquets for US presidents.]. China Press (in Chinese (China)). 2026-04-10. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "习近平握手郑丽文:新世纪"国共合作"?谁是赢家?" [Xi Jinping shakes hands with Cheng Li-wun: A new century of "KMT-CPC cooperation"? Who will be the winner?]. Deutsche Welle (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ 中央通訊社 (2026-04-10). "談鄭習會 鄭麗文:有再說一次當年「九二共識」內容 | 兩岸" [Regarding the Cheng-Xi meeting, Cheng Li-wun stated that she would reiterate the contents of the "1992 Consensus" from back then. (Cross-Strait Relations)]. Central News Agency (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "郑丽文访清华附中 教师盼加强两岸教育交流" [Cheng Li-wun visits Tsinghua High School; teachers hope to strengthen cross-strait educational exchanges.]. China Review News Agency. 2026-04-10. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "鄭麗文參謁碧雲寺孫中山衣冠塚 連戰20年前種植的白皮松樹還在" [Cheng Li-wun visited the cenotaph of Sun Yat-sen at Biyun Temple; the white pine tree planted by Lien Chan 20 years ago is still there.]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 11 April 2026. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
- ↑ "郑丽文一行参访中关村:"全世界最聪明的大脑聚集在海淀区、中关村!"" [Cheng Li-wun and her delegation visited Zhongguancun: "The world's brightest minds are gathered in Haidian District and Zhongguancun!"]. Beijing Daily. 2026-04-11. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
- ↑ "鄭麗文參觀中關村冀尋求台灣支柱產業發展方向 遊故宮與旅客打招呼" [Cheng Li-wun visits Zhongguancun hoping to find directions for the development of Taiwan's pillar industries; she also visits the National Palace Museum and greets tourists.]. TVB News (in Chinese (China)). 11 April 2026. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
- ↑ "鄭麗文會見北京市委書記尹力 盼深化對日抗戰、台灣光復等史料交流" [Cheng Li-wun met with Yin Li, Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, hoping to deepen exchanges on historical materials related to the War of Resistance against Japan and the retrocession of Taiwan.]. Up Media (in Chinese). 2026-04-11. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
- ↑ "訪中している台湾野党主席、北京市トップに「抗日戦争」「台湾光復」史料通じた連携を提案" [The Taiwanese opposition party chairman, currently visiting China, proposed cooperation with Beijing's top officials through historical materials related to the "War of Resistance Against Japan" and the "Liberation of Taiwan."]. The Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 2026-04-11. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
- ↑ "(有片)遊客故宮偶遇鄭麗文 「就算去不了長城也值了!」" [(Video available) Tourists bump into Cheng Li-wun at the Forbidden City: "Even if I can't go to the Great Wall, it's still worth it!"]. Hong Kong Commercial Daily (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2026-04-11. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
- ↑ "鄭麗文訪北京故宮 院長化身「最強導覽員」全程陪同" [Cheng Li-wun visits the Palace Museum in Beijing; the director becomes the "ultimate tour guide," accompanying her throughout the visit.]. ETtoday (in Traditional Chinese). 2026-04-11. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
- ↑ "郑丽文答中评:望把紫色小米车带回台湾" [Cheng Li-wun responds to China Review News: Hopes to bring the purple Xiaomi car back to Taiwan]. China Review News. 2026-04-12. Retrieved 2026-04-12.
- ↑ "郑丽文一行圆满结束大陆参访 离京返台" [Cheng Li-wun and her delegation successfully concluded their visit to mainland China and departed Beijing to return to Taiwan.]. Xinhua News Agency. 2026-04-12. Retrieved 2026-04-12.
- ↑ "中央台办受权发布十项促进两岸交流合作的政策措施" [The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council has been authorized to release ten policy measures to promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation.]. Xinhua News Agency. 2026-04-12. Retrieved 2026-04-12.
- ↑ Li, Xuanxuan (2026-04-07). "(影)台灣基進偕本土團體抗議「鄭習會」 獻策「赴中十守則」:不回來也可以!" [(Video) Taiwan Statebuilding Party and local groups protest the "Cheng-Xi meeting" and offer "Ten Rules for Visiting China": It's okay not to come back!]. Newtalk News (in Traditional Chinese).
台灣基進等團體於松山機場外舉行示威記者會,主張鄭麗文不能代表台灣,並撕碎「假和平真投降協議」,同時提出「赴中十守則」。
[Taiwan Statebuilding Party and other groups held a demonstration and press conference outside Songshan Airport, arguing that Cheng Li-wun cannot represent Taiwan and tearing up the "fake peace and real surrender agreement," while also proposing "Ten Rules for Visiting China."] - ↑ "Taiwan's opposition leader faced a tough crowd in America". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2026-06-19.