Taiwan’s main opposition leader hailed US President Donald Trump’s recent comments opposing the island’s independence as a “relatively positive first step” towards reducing tensions.
Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT), told the South China Morning Post on Sunday in an exclusive interview: “The ‘one China’ principle and opposition to Taiwan independence have always been the Kuomintang’s stance.
“On this political basis, the status quo across the Taiwan Strait can be maintained, and the likelihood of war can be minimised.”
Cheng, who is currently visiting the United States, said Washington’s stance was “crucial” in her aspiration to transform the “first island chain” into a “chain of peace and prosperity”.
Cheng’s trip to the US came just over two weeks after Chinese President Xi Jinping met Trump in Beijing and warned his American counterpart that any mishandling of the Taiwan issue could lead to a “very dangerous situation”.
00:55
AirAsia pilot pulls off advanced sideways landing in high winds
