Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun begins ‘journey of peace’ in Shanghai

Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun greets KMT members in Taipei on Tuesday ahead of her trip to mainland China.

Photo: Reuters Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun said she hoped to make the Taiwan Strait “safe” and not one of the world’s “most dangerous places” as she left for Shanghai on Tuesday.

Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng is leading a 14-member delegation – including three KMT vice-chairmen – on a six-day visit to mainland China.

A planned meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping during the trip has drawn scrutiny in Taipei as tensions soar across the strait.

Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party raised concerns over what would be discussed and warned the KMT’s exchanges with Beijing could not be monitored.

Premier Cho Jung-tai called for greater scrutiny of politically influential figures dealing with the Communist Party.

KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wun told reporters in Taipei that “preserving peace is preserving Taiwan”.

Photo: Reuters But Cheng, speaking ahead of her departure, called the visit a “journey of peace” and said both sides of the Taiwan Strait should seek dialogue and communication to resolve their differences. “It is undeniable that the current international environment is volatile, with conflict spreading and public anxiety rising,” she said. “The Taiwan Strait has long been regarded as one of the most dangerous places, so we must ensure that ‘if the strait is safe, the world is safe’.” The Taiwanese delegation arrived in Shanghai early on Tuesday afternoon before taking a high-speed train to Nanjing.

They will visit the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum on Wednesday, returning to Shanghai later in the day, and travel to Beijing on Thursday.

Cheng was greeted at the airport in Shanghai by Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office.

Song announced last week that Xi had invited Cheng to visit mainland China.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei ahead of her departure, Cheng said Taiwan had a responsibility to protect its 23 million people, but also to help maintain regional peace, and that all possible efforts should be made to prevent war. “Preserving peace is preserving Taiwan,” she said. “If you truly love Taiwan, you will seize every opportunity to prevent it from being engulfed in war.” The visit comes as cross-strait relations remain strained, with official communication channels largely suspended and exchanges in areas ranging from tourism to trade significantly curtailed in recent years.

Song Tao, director

原文链接: 南华早报