New leader of Taiwan's main opposition party wants peace with China / Allegations of Chinese meddling during campaign
Cheng Li-wun won the election from Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) party, Saturday, October 18, 2025. Credit: ChiangYing-ying / AP / Profimedia
The Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan's main opposition party, elected a new leader on Saturday, who opposes increased defense spending but pledged to ensure peace with neighboring China, Reuters reports.
Former lawmaker Cheng Li-wun, who will take over as party leader on November 1, won the internal election at a time of rising military and political tensions with Beijing, which considers the democratically self-governing island Chinese territory. The Taiwanese government vehemently opposes China's sovereignty claims.
Although it lost last year's presidential election, the KMT and its smaller ally the Taiwan People's Party (DPP) jointly hold the most seats in parliament, hampering the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which is trying to pass the budget and legislation on its agenda.
The KMT has traditionally supported close ties with China, and speaking at its headquarters in Taipei, Cheng said the party, under his leadership, would be a “regional peacemaker”.
“The KMT will make our home the strongest shelter for all against the storms of life. Because we will protect the peace across the Taiwan Strait,” she said.
Cheng, who started his political career in the DPP, said during the campaign that he does not support increasing the defense budget, a key policy of Taiwan's current presidential administration, spending that also enjoys strong support from the US.
Chinese state media reported on Cheng's victory, but the Beijing government did not immediately comment on the situation.
Allegations of Chinese meddling in KMT elections
Cheng (55) defeated Hau Lung-bin (73), a former mayor of Taipei, in the party election with just over 50% of the vote. Less than 40% of KMT members voted.
One of Hau's supporters, Jaw Shau-kong, last year's KMT candidate for Taiwan's vice presidency, has launched accusations of Chinese interference in this campaign, claiming there are social media accounts that have spread misinformation about Hau.
China said on Wednesday that the election was a matter for the KMT and that the online messages did not represent an official position.
After winning the KMT election, Cheng was asked about allegations of Chinese interference. She argued that it was irresponsible to use the “red label”, the color of the Chinese Communist Party, as a “cheap tool for political struggle”.
Taiwan will hold local elections next year, which, while mostly focused on domestic issues, will be an important measuring stick ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
