Cheng Li-wun Pushes Dialogue Over Weapons Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit in Beijing

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are slated to meet in Beijing on May 14–15, with the summit delayed in March following the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

The Council on Foreign Relations says geopolitical tensions—particularly trade, Taiwan, the Iran war, and artificial intelligence (AI)—loom over the upcoming meeting, while the global economy continues to feel effects of soaring oil and gas prices from the Strait of Hormuz blockade and the fragile trade truce between the United States and China.

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The same CFR analysis frames Beijing’s approach as one where Xi Jinping has told cadres that “the East is rising and the West is declining” and that “time and momentum” are on China’s side.

Taiwan’s role in the talks is also central in the lead-up, with CNN reporting that Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun is pushing dialogue over weapons ahead of the Trump–Xi summit.

Cheng’s position is that “Taiwan does not want to become the next Ukraine,” as she argues that weapons alone will not keep Taiwan safe in the context of U.S. pressure for defense spending against a potential Chinese attack.

Ahead of the Trump–Xi meeting, Cheng Li-wun—chair of the Kuomintang, or KMT—told CNN that “weapons alone will not keep Taiwan safe,” while also warning that Taiwan should not be forced to choose between Washington and Beijing.

In the CNN report, Cheng argues that “Being friendly to the US does not necessarily mean there’s animosity toward China,” and she links her approach to avoiding war through engagement.

AP News

The Egypt Independent describes how Cheng’s comments came as Taiwan’s opposition-controlled legislature passed a watered-down version of President Lai Ching-te’s proposed defense package, slashing the roughly $40 billion plan by about a third while preserving billions of dollars in U.S. arms purchases.

The same reporting says the approved package cuts funding for parts of Taiwan’s domestic defense buildup, including portions of the island’s growing drone industry, at a moment when the Trump administration is pressuring allies across Asia to shoulder more responsibility for deterring China.

In a separate local framing, mezha.net quotes Cheng saying “KMT is a reliable advocate of Taiwan’s national defense,” while also describing her criticism that much of the $40 billion budget is “very opaque.”

The CFR analysis says Taiwan is likely to be a central issue at the summit, with Chinese readouts increasingly centered on Taiwan and Chinese scholars suggesting Beijing will press for a shift in U.S. declaratory policy—ideally an explicit statement opposing Taiwan independence rather than “not supporting” it.

It also notes that the administration has already delayed a major arms package and that Trump has publicly acknowledged discussing arms sales with Xi, placing U.S. defense decisions directly in the Taiwan dispute.

In Taipei, Cheng’s outreach is occurring while Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels continue operating around Taiwan, and the Egypt Independent reports that Beijing has vowed to “reunify” Taiwan with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Cheng told CNN that “If Taiwan pursues independence, yes, they have expressed that they will use military force,” while she simultaneously insists engagement can lower tensions and reduce the possibility of war.

The CFR analysis adds that the two leaders are likely to meet again at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Shenzhen, China, and at the Group of Twenty meeting in Miami, with Beijing potentially using these meetings to “manage” the United States and ratify the current détente on terms favorable to Beijing.