Cheng Li-wun, chair of Taiwan's opposition party (KMT), said the island should embrace both the United States and China to maintain stability [1].
These comments come as the U.S. and China prepare for a summit between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping. The timing suggests a strategic push by the KMT to pivot Taiwan away from a purely military focus and toward a diplomatic framework that reduces the risk of conflict.
Cheng said the remarks in Taipei following talks with Xi Jinping in Beijing [4]. She said that Taiwan must prioritize dialogue over the acquisition of weapons to avoid escalating tensions with the mainland [1]. During a video interview on May 11 [2], she said, "We must avoid becoming the next Ukraine."
The KMT leader's position stands in contrast to current pressures from Washington. Some reports indicate the U.S. has pushed Taiwan to significantly increase its defense spending to prepare for a potential Chinese attack [3]. Cheng said that a heavy reliance on weaponry could provoke the very confrontation the island seeks to avoid [1].
Cheng's approach emphasizes a dual-track relationship with the two superpowers. She said, "Taiwan can embrace both powers" [4]. By advocating for a balanced relationship, the KMT seeks to counter the narrative that Taiwan must choose between security guarantees from the U.S., and economic or political stability with China.
The call for dialogue arrives at a critical juncture for regional security. While the U.S. continues to provide military support, the KMT believes that diplomatic channels are the primary tool for preventing a crisis in the Taiwan Strait [1].
“"We must avoid becoming the next Ukraine."”
Cheng Li-wun's statements signal a KMT strategy to leverage the upcoming Trump-Xi summit to carve out a more neutral diplomatic space for Taiwan. By framing the Ukraine conflict as a cautionary tale, she is attempting to shift the domestic debate from military readiness to risk mitigation, potentially challenging the U.S.-led push for increased defense expenditures in the region.
