Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun embarked on a fifteen‑day diplomatic tour of the United States, using the platform to promote a restart of Taiwan‑China dialogue and to criticize the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s defense‑budget process. In an interview with NPR, Cheng said her recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping avoided the contentious topic of reunification, reflecting what she described as a premature moment for such talks.

Cheng Li-wun’s 15‑day U.S. diplomatic tour

Cheng’s itinerary included meetings with American policymakers, think‑tank briefings, and public appearances aimed at shaping U.S. perception of Taiwan’s security needs. according to the source, the visit is intended to "articulate a vision of greater engagement with Beijing" to both the American public and offiicials.

Meeting with Xi Jinping omitted reunification talks

During her high‑level encounter with President Xi, Cheng confirmed that the issue of reunification was not raised, citing the volatile geopolitical climate across the Taiwan Strait as a reason to postpone such discussions. She warned that any escalation could draw the United States into a conflict she likened to a potential World War III scenario.

KMT’s critique of DPP’s special defense budget

Critics have accused the KMT of weakening Taiwan’s security by pushing to scale back defense spending. Cheng countered that the party’s opposition targets the DPP’s “black‑box” special defense budget,which she says lacks transparency and violates legislative norms. She emphasized that the KMT has historically supported Taiwan’s defense, noting past approvals of foreign military sales to meet security needs.

Calls for dialogue amid fears of a Taiwan‑China war

Drawing on the trauma of the 20th‑century Chinese civil war, Cheng argued that peaceful coexistence is the only sustainable path forward . She stressed that severing communication with Beijing would be more dangerous than maintaining a cautious engagement, even as some observers label her approach as naive given China’s actions in Hong Kong.

What concrete steps will Taiwan and China take to resume talks?

The source does not detaiil any specific mechanisms or timelines for re‑establishing cross‑strait negotiations, leaving open questions about how the KMT plans to translate its diplomatic outreach into actionable policy. Additionally, it remains unclear whether the United States will back any formal dialogue framework proposed by Cheng.