Description: Chinese President, Xi Jinping, has reportedly invited the Taiwanese opposition leader, Cheng Li – wun to visit Beijing ahead of the much-expected leaders’ summit between Xi and US President Trump. The leader of the Kuomintang party (KMT) warmly welcomed Xi’s proposal and stated that she expected Taiwan and China to devise new channels of communication enshrined within the confines of trust and peace. Cheng Li is expected to visit Beijing from 07 Apr to 12 Apr, when she will also conduct meetings in Shanghai, and the eastern province of Jiangsu. Cheng Li’s visit arrives at a precarious time of wartime conditions on the global stage, where China’s territorial aspirations towards Taiwan are being widely discussed and as Taiwan’s President, Lai Ching – te is struggling to pass a defense budget in the majority oppositional controlled Parliament.
Impact: The meeting between Xi Jinping and Cheng Li is most likely an attempt by China to politically probe Taiwan and the current political climate in the country while also devising an option for diplomatic rapprochement rather than a military intervention with the contested island. China’s historic ties to Taiwan’s opposition represent a potential risk factor especially in light of recent events, such as the Chinese naval exercises and encirclement of the island. In a period where wars are instigated unilaterally, China’s current public signaling translates into more diplomatic sophistication and oppositional support instead of military action towards Taiwan.