https://www.scmp.com/rss/521483/feed The Kuomintang (KMT) is a prominent political party in Taiwan, with its headquarters in Taipei. Founded by Sun Yat-sen in 1912, it historically governed mainland China before relocating to Taiwan in 1949. Its core mission, guided by the “Three Principles of the People,” is to establish a free, democratic and prosperous Republic of China. The KMT focuses on political representation, governance, and promoting nationalism, democracy and people’s livelihood, notably contributing to Taiwan's economic... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Internal splits over defence spending are widening within Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, ahead of this year’s local elections. The party is facing growing pressure from the United States over its response to a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget put forward by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party to fund the purchase of arms from the US and the development of domestic weapons. Washington’s de facto ambassador in Taipei, Raymond Greene, last week... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352385/whats-behind-kmts-internal-splits-over-taiwanese-defence-spending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352385/whats-behind-kmts-internal-splits-over-taiwanese-defence-spending?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Beijing has labelled Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s surprise visit to eSwatini, the island’s sole African ally, a political “stunt”. In a Facebook post on Saturday evening, Lai said he arrived earlier in the day. The eSwatini government also confirmed his arrival on its own Facebook page. “Hello to my fellow citizens. I arrived earlier today in our diplomatic ally eSwatini,” Lai wrote, adding that his foreign affairs and security teams had spent days securing a revised route that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352238/taiwans-william-lai-lands-eswatini-trip-beijing-calls-political-stunt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352238/taiwans-william-lai-lands-eswatini-trip-beijing-calls-political-stunt?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 13:11:49 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun is preparing to visit the United States in June, aiming to leverage the political momentum from last month’s meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. Cheng, who heads the main opposition party Kuomintang, will also test her message on the Taiwan Strait in Washington. In recent media interviews Cheng has outlined an agenda that goes beyond traditional party outreach, promoting what she calls “a new road map” for cross-strait stability –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352159/counting-gains-beijing-taiwanese-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-eyes-us-trip-june?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352159/counting-gains-beijing-taiwanese-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-eyes-us-trip-june?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 05:00:12 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Fujian province, the closest mainland Chinese province to Taiwan, is an important site for Beijing’s messaging towards the island. In the first of a two-part series, Xinlu Liang examines how Beijing is framing the executions of Communist Party spies in Taiwan within a reunification narrative. A courtyard house in an old quarter of Fuzhou, capital of the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian, has become the unlikeliest of national pilgrimage sites. For decades, the residence at No 1... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352156/why-beijing-now-wants-its-spies-executed-taiwan-come-decades-cold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352156/why-beijing-now-wants-its-spies-executed-taiwan-come-decades-cold?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung A Taiwanese army officer has been punished for screening The Eight Hundred, a mainland Chinese war film depicting Kuomintang forces fighting Japanese troops during World War II. The punishment has triggered a political row on the island over Beijing’s state-led messaging to sway opinions in Taiwan as well as historical interpretation and military education on the island. The controversy emerged after ruling Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Wang Ting-yu revealed during a legislative meeting... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351735/it-wrong-show-taiwan-army-officers-film-about-kmt-forces-fighting-japan-wwii?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351735/it-wrong-show-taiwan-army-officers-film-about-kmt-forces-fighting-japan-wwii?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:14 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Another day, another big humiliation for William Lai Ching-te. The Taiwanese leader effectively had to cancel a visit to eSwatini, the island’s last partner in Africa, for the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne and his 58th birthday. Taiwan said the visit was “postponed” after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar cancelled their previously approved overflight permission without warning. Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351128/kuomintang-gets-carrots-dpp-stick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351128/kuomintang-gets-carrots-dpp-stick?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Hong Kong is considered one of the safest cities in the world today – but it has not always been so. There have been periods throughout contemporary history when its streets were ruled and terrorised by gangs. In this series, we look at the history of Hong Kong’s major triad societies and how they shaped the underworld of organised crime and inspired the city’s pop culture. Most well-established Hong Kong triads have auspicious names: Sun Yee On literally means “new, righteousness, peace”, while... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3350992/inside-14k-how-hong-kong-triad-grew-global-crime-syndicate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3350992/inside-14k-how-hong-kong-triad-grew-global-crime-syndicate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese analysts have broadly welcomed a new US Navy plan to deploy thousands of uncrewed surface vessels across the Indo-Pacific by 2030, saying it could complicate Beijing’s military planning and strengthen deterrence. But they also warned that unless Taipei pressed ahead with its own stalled drone fleet ambitions, the approach might offer Taiwan only limited direct benefit, given Washington’s production, logistics and surveillance challenges. The assessments follow remarks this week by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351172/could-thousands-us-hellscape-drone-boats-mess-pla-plans-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351172/could-thousands-us-hellscape-drone-boats-mess-pla-plans-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:16:53 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Half of Taiwanese not only doubt the US would send troops to defend Taiwan in the event of a cross-strait conflict but also question whether American weapons would prove effective, a poll this week has revealed. The results highlighted mounting scepticism on the island over Washington’s security guarantees, according to the survey released on Monday by the Taipei-based Democracy Foundation. The poll found that 57 per cent of respondents did not believe the US would send troops to defend the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350926/trump-effect-taiwan-poll-reveals-deep-doubts-about-us-military-protection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350926/trump-effect-taiwan-poll-reveals-deep-doubts-about-us-military-protection?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Several Taiwan business leaders on Monday urged the island’s government to consider Beijing’s new plan for boosting cross-strait exchanges, arguing it could ease pressure on struggling sectors. In response, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party accused industry groups of helping mainland China “use business to pressure politics”. “There is no pressure from Beijing. None of us received calls from Beijing,” said Hsu Shu-po, chairman of the Taipei-based General Chamber of Commerce. “On the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350764/consider-beijings-10-point-plan-taiwan-business-leaders-urge-ruling-dpp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350764/consider-beijings-10-point-plan-taiwan-business-leaders-urge-ruling-dpp?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:15:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Beijing’s decision to resume direct flights to Taiwan, alongside nine other measures to deepen cross-strait exchanges and ties, shows the value of dialogue. These steps, announced immediately after Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s recent six-day visit, including a meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, are a reminder that trust and cooperation are more likely to result in improvement to fraught relations, while confrontation leads only to stagnation. The measures go beyond symbolic... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350458/beijings-10-point-plan-sends-strong-signal-ordinary-taiwanese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350458/beijings-10-point-plan-sends-strong-signal-ordinary-taiwanese?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. The outbreak of the war in Iran resulted in a spike in oil prices, which remain elevated despite the announcement of a two-week ceasefire. For cities heavily reliant on energy imports, the challenge is not only to cushion abrupt shocks, but to build a system capable of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3350118/amid-elevated-oil-prices-hong-kongs-stable-energy-system-boon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3350118/amid-elevated-oil-prices-hong-kongs-stable-energy-system-boon?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Communist Party chief Xi Jinping appears to be taking a patient approach to reunification with Taiwan, according to the island’s opposition leader and a member of her delegation who attended a rare meeting with Xi in Beijing. Xi met Cheng Li-wun, who leads Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang, and her delegation at the Great Hall of the People on Friday – the first talks between sitting leaders of the two parties in nearly a decade. Discussing the cross-strait relationship, Xi said the issues had... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350271/xi-jinping-stressed-patience-taiwan-reunification-talks-opposition-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350271/xi-jinping-stressed-patience-taiwan-reunification-talks-opposition-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Taiwan’s political pendulum is reversing. The government led by Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) William Lai Ching-te is increasingly discredited, not least for selling out the jewel of its semiconductor industry to the United States under pressure from President Donald Trump. The Legislative Yuan is controlled by the opposition led by the Kuomintang (KMT). Party politics is now institutionalised into a sustained confrontation between the island’s presidency and its legislature. Now, budgets... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349841/kmt-chief-shows-way-forward-avoid-blind-confrontation-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349841/kmt-chief-shows-way-forward-avoid-blind-confrontation-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Jianlu Bi Jianlu Bi On April 12, Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office unveiled a 10-point policy package aimed at turning political dialogue into practical action. From restoring regular direct flights to sharing water, electricity and gas supplies with the frontline islands of Quemoy, also known as Kinmen, and Matsu, the measures represent a tangible peace dividend. Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s visit to Beijing, where Communist Party chief Xi Jinping held a historic meeting with her, signifies a profound shift... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349791/strategic-logic-xis-historic-meeting-taiwans-cheng-li-wun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349791/strategic-logic-xis-historic-meeting-taiwans-cheng-li-wun?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese industry groups and businesses have broadly welcomed Beijing’s package of 10 measures to promote cross-strait exchanges across economic sectors. They said the proposals from the Communist Party’s Taiwan affairs authorities could help ease pressures weighing on local industries in recent years. Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, also appeared relieved that the measures focused largely on economic and livelihood issues rather than politically sensitive themes. The Taiwan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349938/taiwan-industries-cheer-beijings-10-point-plan-boost-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349938/taiwan-industries-cheer-beijings-10-point-plan-boost-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:52:47 +0000 SCMP Plus SCMP Plus This document was translated from Chinese into English using Alibaba’s Qwen3.6-Plus, then checked and tweaked for accuracy by a South China Morning Post journalist. It is for reference only, and is not the official English version of the original Chinese document. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3349919/beijings-10-measures-boost-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3349919/beijings-10-measures-boost-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:00:38 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Beijing has promised to restore direct flights between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan following a visit by the leader of the main opposition party. The 10-point measures, which also include a pledge to ease restrictions on individuals travelling to the island, were announced on Sunday as Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun concluded her visit to the mainland. Her trip, which began on Tuesday, included a meeting with Xi Jinping – the first between the leaders of the Communist Party and KMT in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349782/beijing-pledges-better-taiwan-air-and-travel-links-after-kmt-leaders-mainland-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349782/beijing-pledges-better-taiwan-air-and-travel-links-after-kmt-leaders-mainland-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:07:49 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Iran’s ability to sustain missile and drone strikes despite heavy US-Israeli attacks has sharpened a debate in Taiwan: if the island’s air defences were degraded in the early stages of a conflict with mainland China, could it still keep fighting? The answer from officials, lawmakers and analysts was cautious but clear. They said the island could be resilient – but only if it shifted away from a missile-heavy defensive mindset towards a more integrated, cost-effective and survivable system. Even... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349752/does-irans-wartime-resilience-offer-any-lessons-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349752/does-irans-wartime-resilience-offer-any-lessons-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:00:11 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The meeting between President Xi Jinping, chief of the Communist Party, and Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party the Kuomintang, was the first in nearly a decade between the sitting leaders of the two parties. Its timing was especially significant. Amid global concern about armed conflict, China is increasingly seen as a source of stability. That makes a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue and Friday’s meeting with the KMT leader critical not only to China, but also to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349692/chengs-beijing-visit-underscores-hope-cross-strait-engagement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349692/chengs-beijing-visit-underscores-hope-cross-strait-engagement?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Lawrence Chung,Amber Wang Lawrence Chung,Amber Wang The high-profile talks between leaders of the Communist Party and the Kuomintang are a step towards cross-strait stability despite the KMT’s opposition status in Taiwan, according to observers. Communist Party chief Xi Jinping and KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wun met in Beijing on Friday in the first such talks between the sitting leaders of the two parties in nearly a decade. Analysts in mainland China and Taiwan broadly agreed that the encounter signalled a revival of cross-strait engagement... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349690/will-cheng-li-wuns-meeting-xi-jinping-temper-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349690/will-cheng-li-wuns-meeting-xi-jinping-temper-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Communist Party chief Xi Jinping said he was “fully confident” of closer ties with Taiwan as he met a leader of the island’s opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party for the first time in almost a decade. “The historical trend that compatriots of both sides of the strait will get closer and get together will not change,” Xi said at the start of his discussion with Cheng Li-wun. “This is a certainty of history, and we are fully confident.” Cheng called for a “systemic solution” to avoid war in the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3349645/xi-holds-landmark-taiwan-meeting-iran-war-ceasefire-gdp-update?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3349645/xi-holds-landmark-taiwan-meeting-iran-war-ceasefire-gdp-update?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:00:26 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s biggest opposition party, the Kuomintang, highlighted the need for peace as she spoke to the media in Beijing on Friday afternoon after her historic meeting with Communist Party chief Xi Jinping. It is the first time the leaders of the KMT and the Communist Party have met in nine years and comes at a time of heightened cross-strait military tensions. Here are the main takeaways from the press conference. A ‘choice of war or peace’ In a clear reference to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349640/takeaways-cheng-li-wuns-press-conference-about-meeting-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349640/takeaways-cheng-li-wuns-press-conference-about-meeting-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:25:02 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), spoke to the press in Beijing at 2.22pm on Friday, hours after her historic meeting with Communist Party chief Xi Jinping. It was the first meeting between leaders of the two parties in nine years after then-KMT chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu visited the mainland in November 2016. During the meeting on Friday morning, both Xi and Cheng highlighted a message of peace across the strait. “Compatriots on both sides are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349617/taiwans-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-speaks-after-historic-meeting-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349617/taiwans-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-speaks-after-historic-meeting-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:22:29 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei In a historic meeting between Communist Party chief Xi Jinping and the head of Taiwan’s main opposition party, Beijing outlined a vision of peaceful relations with the island, shared development outcomes and greater dialogue. “Compatriots on both sides are both Chinese, and we need peace, we need development, we need communication and we need cooperation. This is a common wish,” Xi told Cheng Li-wun, head of the Kuomintang (KMT), on Friday, in the first such talks between the two parties’... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349597/xi-jinping-meets-taiwan-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349597/xi-jinping-meets-taiwan-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:03:54 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun blamed Japanese “imperialist forces” for dividing mainland China and Taiwan, as she paid tribute to Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen at his mausoleum in Nanjing on Wednesday. In a speech delivered after the Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman laid a floral wreath before a statue of the founder of modern China, Cheng said Taiwan became a Japanese colony at a time of national weakness, following the 1895 defeat of China in the first Sino-Japanese war. She said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349383/imperialist-forces-divided-taiwan-mainland-kmt-head-cheng-li-wun-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349383/imperialist-forces-divided-taiwan-mainland-kmt-head-cheng-li-wun-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:14:21 +0000 Lawrence Chung,Alcott Wei Lawrence Chung,Alcott Wei Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun said she hoped to make the Taiwan Strait “safe” and not one of the world’s “most dangerous places” as she left for Shanghai on Tuesday. Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng is leading a 14-member delegation – including three KMT vice-chairmen – on a six-day visit to mainland China. A planned meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping during the trip has drawn scrutiny in Taipei as tensions soar across the strait. Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349225/taiwanese-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-begins-journey-peace-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349225/taiwanese-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-begins-journey-peace-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:59:21 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung A high-stakes visit to mainland China by the chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), during which she is expected to meet Communist Party leader Xi Jinping and promote cross-strait peace, is under scrutiny in Taipei. Cheng Li-wun is set to depart for Shanghai on Tuesday for a six-day trip, with local media reporting a possible meeting with Xi in Beijing on Thursday – the first such encounter between the two parties’ leaders in a decade. However, Cheng’s coming visit has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349176/why-kmt-leaders-planned-visit-beijing-under-scrutiny-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349176/why-kmt-leaders-planned-visit-beijing-under-scrutiny-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:05:56 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) is showing signs of internal strain ahead of its leader’s planned visit to mainland China, with divisions over defence spending and ties with Washington and Beijing raising questions over the party’s strategic direction. KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wun is set to go to mainland China with a delegation from April 7 to 12 on a trip that could include a meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. The trip comes as the party remains divided over a contentious... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349025/taiwans-opposition-kmt-splitting-pro-us-and-pro-beijing-camps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349025/taiwans-opposition-kmt-splitting-pro-us-and-pro-beijing-camps?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The former chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), has called for cross-strait dialogue to break the state of “cold peace”, rebuild trust and avoid conflict. “The key to cross-strait relations lies not in radical confrontation, but in profound mutual trust,” Hung Hsiu-chu wrote on a popular mainland online platform on Thursday. She also called for a return to the 1992 consensus, an unofficial agreement between Beijing and the then-ruling KMT in Taiwan. It states that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348979/no-more-cold-peace-across-taiwan-strait-former-kmt-chairwoman-calls-rebuild-trust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348979/no-more-cold-peace-across-taiwan-strait-former-kmt-chairwoman-calls-rebuild-trust?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:09:15 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Controlled escalation? Trump hails ‘victories’ in Iran but vows more strikes US President Donald Trump declared the US‑Israel war against Iran had delivered “decisive, overwhelming victories”, even as he signalled that key military... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348885/trump-hails-victories-iran-chinas-underwater-tunnels-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348885/trump-hails-victories-iran-chinas-underwater-tunnels-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words Beijing recently invited Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman Cheng Li-wun to pay a visit to mainland China from April 7 to 12, an invitation she promptly accepted. The last time a sitting chairperson of the KMT visited the mainland was 10 years ago. On November 1, 2025, Cheng was... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348808/why-kmt-leaders-planned-visit-mainland-china-significant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348808/why-kmt-leaders-planned-visit-mainland-china-significant?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 03:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Cheng Li-wun will be the first sitting chairperson of Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang to visit the mainland since Hung Hsiu-chu nearly 10 years ago. The announcement of the trip, from April 7 to 12, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, comes at a sensitive time in cross-strait relations, with four American senators arriving in Taiwan to promote arms sales opposed by Beijing, and Xi expected to host a summit with President Donald Trump next month. Xi’s invitation to Cheng, elected KMT... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348647/taiwan-kuomintang-leaders-visit-mainland-china-gives-reason-hope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348647/taiwan-kuomintang-leaders-visit-mainland-china-gives-reason-hope?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 23:15:12 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), will visit Nanjing during her visit to mainland China next week. According to a KMT press statement issued on Tuesday night, she will pay tribute at the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Republic of China – Taiwan’s formal name – and a symbol of the shared past between Taiwan and the mainland. Cheng will arrive in Shanghai on April 7 and then travel by train to Nanjing, in eastern Jiangsu province, the itinerary... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348696/taiwans-kmt-chair-cheng-li-wun-honour-sun-yat-sen-landmark-mainland-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348696/taiwans-kmt-chair-cheng-li-wun-honour-sun-yat-sen-landmark-mainland-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:17:02 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai has warned the chairwoman of the main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT) against engaging in talks or agreements involving government authority when she visits mainland China next month. Cheng Li-wun’s coming visit has rattled Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and exposed unease even within KMT ranks – highlighting mounting friction over the opposition outreach to Beijing amid heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Cheng is expected to lead a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348556/no-deals-mainland-china-visit-taiwans-premier-cho-jung-tai-warns-kmt-chairwoman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348556/no-deals-mainland-china-visit-taiwans-premier-cho-jung-tai-warns-kmt-chairwoman?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:13:27 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has pushed back against a growing number of foreign governments that label it part of China in their internal systems. But questions are mounting over whether Taipei’s retaliatory moves can deliver results. The dispute has widened in recent weeks after South Korea, Denmark and Cameroon were found to have changed how they designate the island in official systems, such as those that handle visa documents, residence permits and international conference credentials. Taipei has responded with... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348438/names-and-games-taipei-hits-back-over-china-label-will-it-pay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348438/names-and-games-taipei-hits-back-over-china-label-will-it-pay?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 01:00:12 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Four senior US senators are on a two-day visit to Taiwan to press for legislative approval of a NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget proposed by the island’s government but stalled by the opposition as military pressure from Beijing intensifies. The visit – seen as signalling growing frustration in Washington over the delays – comes as Taipei faces looming payment deadlines for several US-approved arms packages, with funding still unresolved due to the legislative... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348433/us-senators-visit-taiwan-push-defence-spending-arms-deadlines-loom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348433/us-senators-visit-taiwan-push-defence-spending-arms-deadlines-loom?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:39:24 +0000 Phoebe Zhang,Lawrence Chung Phoebe Zhang,Lawrence Chung Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), will lead a delegation to mainland China next month at the invitation of Beijing, her first visit since assuming the position in November. Song Tao, head of Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Monday that the Communist Party Central Committee and Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee, would welcome her visit to Jiangsu province, Shanghai and Beijing from April 7 to 12 to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348342/taiwans-kuomintang-leader-visit-mainland-china-aid-peaceful-relations-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348342/taiwans-kuomintang-leader-visit-mainland-china-aid-peaceful-relations-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:47:18 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Thursday for taking bribes and misusing political donations, dealing a heavy blow to the opposition party he built. Ko, who founded the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) in 2019 and finished last in a three-way race for the island’s top political job in 2024, did not plead guilty, according to Taiwanese media reports. The TPP is the third-biggest party in Taiwanese politics and has been in talks with the larger Kuomintang (KMT) to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348010/taiwanese-court-jails-former-taipei-mayor-ko-wen-je-17-years-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348010/taiwanese-court-jails-former-taipei-mayor-ko-wen-je-17-years-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:00:07 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taipei aims to leverage geopolitics by positioning itself as an Asia-Pacific drone hub built on a supply chain decoupled from mainland China, though challenges relating to scale, politics and timing threaten its ambitious industrial strategy. The push reflects a broader effort by the administration of Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te to position the island as a node in what officials have described as a “democratic supply chain” free of mainland Chinese components amid rising geopolitical... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347745/can-taiwan-fulfil-its-asia-pacific-drone-hub-goal-non-red-supply-chain-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347745/can-taiwan-fulfil-its-asia-pacific-drone-hub-goal-non-red-supply-chain-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Taiwan’s two main opposition parties are set to join forces in local elections, a midterm contest this autumn that analysts say could lay the groundwork for potential cooperation in the 2028 leadership race to challenge the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The elections, scheduled for November and commonly known as the “nine-in-one” elections, will determine local officials and councillors across nine categories, ranging from mayors and county magistrates to village chiefs, as well as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347357/taiwans-main-opposition-parties-join-forces-local-elections-foundation-2028-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347357/taiwans-main-opposition-parties-join-forces-local-elections-foundation-2028-race?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:14:46 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Beijing has accused Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te of “glorifying Japanese colonial rule” in a recent speech. The People’s Liberation Army also stepped up the number of sorties by aircraft around the island after Lai made the comments on Saturday at an event to mark the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct elections. Lai, from the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, told the event that the early days of Kuomintang (KMT) rule over Taiwan under Chiang Kai-shek were... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347164/taiwan-leader-william-lai-glorifying-japanese-colonial-rule-beijing-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347164/taiwan-leader-william-lai-glorifying-japanese-colonial-rule-beijing-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:17:40 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai has come under fire over what he said was a private visit to Japan to support the island’s team at the World Baseball Classic last week – a trip that drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing. Cho travelled to Tokyo on March 7, watching Taiwan defeat the Czech Republic 14-0 at the Tokyo Dome in the tournament’s Pool C round. He returned to Taipei the same day. It was the first visit to Japan by a sitting Taiwanese premier since Tokyo ended official ties with Taipei in 1972... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346546/swing-and-miss-taiwans-premier-under-fire-over-baseball-trip-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346546/swing-and-miss-taiwans-premier-under-fire-over-baseball-trip-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 04:00:15 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s defence ministry has received a US letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for 82 Himars rocket launchers, according to officials, who said the deal must be signed by March 26 as other pending arms contracts near expiry. Speaking before a legislative session on Tuesday, Wellington Koo Li-hsiung, the island’s defence minister, said the Himars, or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, agreement was one of five US arms procurement deals awaiting legislative authorisation. Koo noted that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346131/taiwan-scrambles-sign-us-arms-deals-deadline-amid-defence-budget-gridlock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346131/taiwan-scrambles-sign-us-arms-deals-deadline-amid-defence-budget-gridlock?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s legislature has agreed to begin reviewing a long-stalled special defence budget, but competing opposition proposals are set to complicate passage of the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) plan despite mounting pressure from the United States. Lawmakers began scrutinising the bill on Friday, as three rival proposals from the island’s main political parties exposed deep divisions over how much Taiwan should spend on defence and what mix of foreign weapons and home-grown... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345756/taiwan-starts-review-defence-bill-competing-proposals-expose-divisions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345756/taiwan-starts-review-defence-bill-competing-proposals-expose-divisions?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Over six consecutive days since Friday, for the first time in at least three years, Beijing dispatched no warplanes near Taiwan, a pause which analysts say reflects deliberate caution ahead of this month’s Xi–Trump summit. The absence of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft near the self-ruled island from Friday through to Wednesday is the longest such pause in the past three years, according to Taiwanese defence ministry data compiled by the South China Morning Post. The number of PLA naval... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345527/looming-xi-trump-summit-behind-plas-break-air-sorties-near-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345527/looming-xi-trump-summit-behind-plas-break-air-sorties-near-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:07:44 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has reacted to the US strike on Iran with surprise, strategic calculation and renewed debate over the island’s air defence readiness. While some observers were struck by what they saw as overwhelming US military dominance, others said the conflict underscored the urgency of accelerating plans to build a more integrated, layered air defence network amid mounting pressure from Beijing. On Monday, the island’s cabinet said relevant ministries were “closely monitoring developments in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345172/us-strike-iran-fuels-taiwans-air-defence-debate-and-energy-supply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345172/us-strike-iran-fuels-taiwans-air-defence-debate-and-energy-supply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:00:22 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan is at risk of missing out on three US-approved weapons packages for the first time because of delays to a stalled NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget in the legislature. The unprecedented situation has prompted Defence Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung to urge opposition lawmakers to give the budget emergency authorisation ahead of a March 15 deadline, when letters of offer and acceptance for three arms deals will expire. If the deals – to buy M109A7 self-propelled... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344482/taiwan-may-see-us-arms-deals-fall-through-first-time-because-legislative-deadlock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344482/taiwan-may-see-us-arms-deals-fall-through-first-time-because-legislative-deadlock?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has moved swiftly to seek clarification from Washington after the US Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump’s tariff authority. The ruling on Friday prompted the US president to invoke a separate statute – Section 122 of the US Trade Act of 1974 – to impose a 15 per cent global tariff, casting fresh uncertainty over Taiwan’s trade outlook. The legal reset has raised questions in Taipei about whether tariff exemptions negotiated under the existing Taiwan-US trade framework – including... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344364/taiwan-seeks-clarity-after-us-supreme-court-upends-trumps-tariff-powers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344364/taiwan-seeks-clarity-after-us-supreme-court-upends-trumps-tariff-powers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:01:25 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s parliament is set to prioritise review of a disputed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget bill when its new session begins on Tuesday, as pressure mounts from Washington. But US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about consulting Chinese President Xi Jinping on arms sales could complicate the debate, potentially giving Taipei’s opposition parties greater room to manoeuvre and reshape the final version of the bill, according to analysts. The renewed push follows... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344220/how-trumps-beijing-bargaining-could-derail-taiwans-multibillion-dollar-defence-budget?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344220/how-trumps-beijing-bargaining-could-derail-taiwans-multibillion-dollar-defence-budget?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:26 +0000