China-leaning politician wins vote to lead Taiwan opposition KMT

Yian Lee and Cindy Wang, Bloomberg News on Oct 18, 2025

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A former Taiwan lawmaker who has advocated closer ties to China won the contest to become the leader of the island’s biggest opposition party.

Cheng Li-wun won 50.2% of votes, according to a statement by the Kuomintang party, beating five other candidates. She is the third woman to lead the party. Current chairman Eric Chu didn’t join the contest.

“The ending of elections is the beginning of unity,” Cheng said in her victory speech. “We will not just unite KMT, but also all of Taiwan.”

The KMT ruled Taiwan for decades as a one-party state, until the island became a democracy. It is Beijing’s preferred negotiating partner because the party favors eventual unification with China.

Cheng said while campaigning that she wants “all Taiwanese people to be able to proudly and confidently say, ‘I am Chinese.’” She has also explicitly and repeatedly backed the so-called 1992 Consensus, a KMT-approved view that Beijing interprets as meaning that both sides of the strait are part of one China.

President Lai Ching-te’s government rejects the stance, saying Taiwan is a de facto independent nation deserving greater recognition on the world stage. Cheng’s win could also further hinder his efforts to increase defense spending. The U.S. is Taiwan’s main military backer and has been encouraging Lai to spend more on its defenses against China.

“On external relationships, we will uphold the principles of equality, respect and reciprocity,” Cheng said on Saturday. “We will never allow Taiwan to become a troublemaker or a victim of geopolitics. The KMT will shoulder its responsibilities and actively serve as a peacemaker for regional peace.”

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of its territory — a view Taipei rejects — and has pledged to bring the democratic archipelago of 23 million people under its control someday, by force if required.

In August, Lai’s administration proposed spending nearly 23% more on the military than in 2024. The government also plans to propose a special budget for weapons procurement soon. Both proposals are subject to legislative review and approval.

Cheng “could lead the Kuomintang caucus to adopt a tougher position against Lai’s agenda,” Liu Chao-lung, an associate professor at National Changhua University of Education who monitors domestic politics, said before the KMT vote.

That style could make it even harder than it already has been for Lai’s government to get military budget proposals passed in the legislature, where the KMT and another party hold a majority, Liu added.

When asked about Lai’s pledge to increase military budget to 5% of GDP at a briefing with foreign reporters last month, Cheng said that she won’t support the initiative, and that it’s not a reasonable defense budget ratio. “In the competition of defense spending, Taiwan will always be the loser,” Cheng said.

Since taking control of the legislature in 2024, the opposition bloc has passed a series of controversial bills that supporters of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party say is weakening the administration’s authority and democratic governance.

“I’ll aim for the KMT to become the biggest party in Taiwan during my term, and take full power in 2028,” Cheng said.

After Cheng’s win, a DPP spokesperson said the party hopes the new KMT chair can uphold sovereignty and prioritize Taiwan’s security over its own political interests. It warned Cheng and her party to cautiously guard against Chinese influence and infiltration, and said all political parties should jointly strengthen national security, according to a statement.