Taiwanese opposition leader heads to Beijing for pivotal talks with Xi Jinping

Taiwan’s opposition figure Cheng Li-wun is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing this week, marking a highly scrutinized moment for the embattled Kuomintang (KMT) party. Cheng’s visit comes amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait and a decade-long political shift in Taiwan toward rising nationalism and reduced influence for the once-dominant KMT. Field reports indicate Cheng, recently elected chairperson of the KMT, aims to demonstrate Taiwan can de-escalate hostilities with