KMT leader says Taiwan can preserve peace by avoiding ‘de jure independence’

Taiwan's main opposition leader, Cheng Li-wun, asserted that peace across the Taiwan Strait hinges on Taipei refraining from pursuing "de jure independence." Speaking at a closed-door seminar at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, Cheng described cross-strait stability as a shared interest with the U.S. and the region.

Cheng, chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT), stated that peace could be maintained as long as Taiwan does not cross the "red line" of de jure independence. She also highlighted the necessity of both a "credible military deterrent" and a "smooth and sincere framework for dialogue" to prevent conflict, according to a KMT statement.

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peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which she described as the greatest common denominator with US and regional interests, could be sustained “as long as Taiwan does not cross the red line of ‘de jure independence’”.

Beijing considers Taiwan a part of China and aims for reunification, by force if necessary. While most nations, including the U.S., do not formally recognize Taiwan as an independent state, Washington opposes any forceful change to the status quo and supplies Taiwan with defensive weaponry. De jure independence typically refers to the legal assertion that Taiwan and mainland China are separate countries.

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A “credible military deterrent” and “a smooth and sincere framework for dialogue” were both important to preventing conflict