TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Kuomintang, KMT (國民黨), Chairperson Cheng Li-wen (鄭麗文) dismissed rumors about a potential meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Monday (Dec. 8). Liberty Times News (LTN, 自由時報), suggested a consensus had been reached for such a meeting around the Lunar New Year, a major traditional holiday. Cheng rejected these reports as fabricated stories during a livestream with influencer Li Yi-hsiu (李易修) on the social media platform.
Cheng criticized President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) for inconsistent use of terms like "Republic of China Taiwan" without clearly defining sovereignty, describing his stance as insincere. The KMT chairperson stated the Democratic Progressive Party, DPP (民進黨), appears scared and nervous because its arguments are hollow and not recognized internationally. Cheng noted President Lai has faced limitations, such as being unable to transit through the United States, which she believes exacerbates his struggles.
LTN reported Song Tao (宋濤), director of the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO, 國台辦), of China's State Council (中國國務院), allegedly communicated conditions for a meeting. The conditions reportedly included KMT refusing U.S. arms sales, preventing restrictions on Chinese spouses in Taiwan, deterring legislation limiting Chinese trading activities, and seeking unification as the party's ultimate goal. KMT Vice Chairperson Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) refuted these claims during a TVBS News interview on Sunday (Dec. 7), accusing the DPP government of maliciously spreading falsehoods. ◼