Cheng’s trip to boost illusion of unification: sourceBy Chen Yun and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerChinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) upcoming visit to China is intended to bolster Cheng’s pro-unification stance within the KMT and create the illusion for US President Donald Trump that both sides of the Taiwan Strait are leaning toward unification, a national security source said yesterday on condition of anonymity. The source gave two reasons why Beijing decided to schedule Cheng’s trip after Tomb Sweeping Day ahead of the meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), which has been postponed from this month to next month. First is to create the illusion that Beijing is “entirely in control” of the Taiwan situation, and to foster the impression that Taiwanese support unification, the source said. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun, center, speaks at a news conference in Taipei on Monday. The second reason stems from growing support within the KMT to support the special defense budget, the source said.

Source: Taipei Times March 31, 2026 17:46 UTC