Taiwan opposition leader seeks U.S. backing on sensitive visitsensitive visit
Taiwan’s main opposition leader Cheng Li-wun is visiting the United States for two weeks starting Monday, in a trip closely watched in Taipei, Washington and Beijing.
She has said she is willing to meet President Donald Trump and wants to deepen trust with the United States after recently meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
The visit matters because Taiwan’s opposition is trying to keep ties open with both major powers while Taiwan’s security and political future remain under intense cross-strait pressure.
Taiwan opposition view
Cheng Li-wun presents the trip as a way to support peace and improve understanding with the United States. She says she is willing to meet anyone who can help peace, including Trump.
Washington view
The trip offers an opening to hear from a senior Taiwanese political figure at a time of high tension across the Taiwan Strait. US officials are likely to weigh how any contact fits with Washington’s unofficial ties to Taipei.
Beijing view
Beijing is expected to watch the visit for signs that Taiwan’s opposition is shifting its line toward the United States. Cheng’s recent meeting with Xi also gives Chinese leaders reason to test whether she can serve as a bridge.
- The Kuomintang was once the ruling party on mainland China before retreating to Taiwan in 1949.
- The United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
- Taiwan’s presidents are not officially recognized by Washington because the two sides lack formal diplomatic ties.
US-China Indo-Pacific Rivalry
China and Taiwan coast guard vessels have repeatedly faced off near the Pratas Islands, with the latest standoff showing how small maritime incidents around Taiwan can quickly become confrontations.[1][5] The episode adds to wider U.S.-China military tension across the Indo-Pacific, where Beijing is expanding patrols and Washington is reinforcing regional deterrence.[2][3] The rivalry now centers on preventing miscalculation around Taiwan, the South China Sea, and nearby sea lanes.[1][3][5] It also shapes defense planning by Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States as all sides weigh coercion, sovereignty claims, and the risk of escalation.[2][3]
24 May, 07:39 AM
Taiwan and China coast guards face off near Pratas islands1 January
The United States adopts a sharper great-power competition strategy focused on China
