Taiwan opposition leader to visit China as Beijing ramps up 'reunification' push

Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun leaves on Tuesday for China and a potential meeting with President Xi Jinping on what she says is a peace mission as Beijing makes a renewed push to convince Taiwanese to support "reunification".



Cheng, chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan's largest opposition party, is travelling at a time of increased Chinese military pressure on Taiwan, which Beijing views as its own territory, and as the opposition-dominated parliament stalls a government plan for $40 billion in extra defence spending.



The KMT and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have released duelling social media messages ahead of the trip, using the imagery of war and peace.



"Peace is the only foundation for prosperity, and the hope for Taiwan's future," the KMT said on Sunday, putting out a video featuring young people relaxing on the ground, in a pool and smiling while looking up at the stars.



The DPP shot back in a Facebook post that the KMT was trying to "cooperate with the Chinese communists' scheme to weaken Taiwan's defence capabilities", pointing to the delay in passing defence spending, plans the U.S. government has backed.



Cheng told foreign reporters last month that "peace cannot possibly be achieved through defence capabilities alone" and political efforts were equally indispensable.