Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) opposition party, has used her two-week visit to the United States to address what she describes as widespread misconceptions regarding her party's approach to China. The visit follows her April meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

During her time in Washington, Cheng held discussions with nine members of the US Congress, alongside academics and policy analysts from various think tanks. The meetings covered issues spanning defence, foreign policy and financial matters. She emphasised that her party's China-engagement strategy does not signal weakness on national security or a willingness to compromise Taiwan's democratic values and defensive capabilities.

The KMT has drawn criticism from American China hawks for reducing proposed defence spending by one-third, cutting approximately US$40 billion from government arms acquisition plans. Republican Senator Dan Sullivan cautioned that the party risked "playing with fire" through these reductions. Cheng countered these concerns by stressing her party's commitment to Taiwan's security and noting that experts she met have encouraged the KMT to present its own defence legislation proposals.

"Seeking peaceful dialogue across the Taiwan Strait does not mean we will give up Taiwan's national defence capabilities, still less that we will give up Taiwan's democracy and freedom," Cheng said during the visit.

Cheng's comments reflect the broader diplomatic tensions surrounding Taiwan's defence posture. The United States, despite lacking formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, remains its principal security ally and arms provider under legal obligations to help the island defend itself. China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory, has not ruled out military force to achieve unification.

When asked about her impression of Xi, Cheng characterised the Chinese leader as "very gentle and very nice and very real," suggesting his openness to peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues. She declined to address Trump's recent characterisation of a pending US$14 billion arms sale to Taiwan as a "negotiating chip," saying the topic had not surfaced in her Washington meetings.