Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday criticized KMT leader Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit to China, accusing her of echoing Beijing’s political narratives.

Cheng arrived in China on Tuesday for a six-day trip with a KMT delegation, which she has described as a “journey for peace.” The leader of Taiwan’s largest opposition party is expected to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) this Friday, raising concerns that this could undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty.

Speaking at a press conference in Taipei this Thursday, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Director Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said that Cheng’s rhetoric on the trip appeared to be a “copy” of the position expressed in Chinese propaganda.

"Taiwanese people's unwillingness to be ruled by the Chinese Communist Party is absolutely not some continuation of the First Sino-Japanese War," Liang said, referring to the conflict that resulted in Taiwan being transferred from the Qing dynasty to imperial Japan in 1895. 

Liang also dismissed Cheng’s mention of the Republic of China at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing on Wednesday as permitted by the Chinese Communist Party only in that specific location. He noted that such remarks are also not reported within China.

“If you want to have exchanges, then have exchanges. If you want to visit the mainland, then visit. But don’t cater to these kinds of Chinese Communist Party narratives,” he said.

Liang urged Cheng to “clearly” raise three points in any meeting with Xi Jinping. 

First, the Chinese Communist Party should acknowledge the existence of the Republic of China. Second, the will of the Taiwanese people should be respected. Third, the People’s Liberation Army should immediately stop harassing Taiwan with its planes and warships. Liang noted that Cheng has yet to express these specific demands on this trip.