Indo-Pacific — 2026-04-09

Taiwan KMT Leader Visits China on "Journey of Peace" as Beijing Announces Yellow Sea Live-Fire Drills

KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wun arrived in China for a rare six-day visit, the first by a sitting KMT leader in nearly a decade, visiting Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing where she hopes to meet Xi Jinping. Cheng called the trip a "Journey of Peace," saying cross-strait relations are "not doomed to war." Concurrently, China announced live-fire drills in the Yellow Sea. The visit occurs as Taiwan's parliament debates a $40 billion defense spending increase for US weapons purchases.

Analysis
The first sitting KMT leader to visit China in nearly a decade arrives as Taiwan's parliament debates $40B in defense spending. The visit is as much about Taipei's domestic politics as cross-strait relations. Beijing's simultaneous announcement of Yellow Sea live-fire drills undercuts the peace narrative and signals that military pressure will continue regardless of opposition-party diplomacy.
2 sources
  1. Taiwan's KMT leader says China visit to sow seeds of peace - Manila Times
  2. China announces live-fire drills in Yellow Sea - Taipei Times

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