Cheng Li-wun has been elected as the new chairperson of Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan&rsquo;s main opposition party, in a leadership shake-up that could reshape the island&rsquo;s political approach toward Beijing. Cheng, a reform-minded former lawmaker, is set to assume office on November 1.
Cheng, 55, won the party&rsquo;s internal election on Saturday, defeating former Hau Lung-bin and four other contenders. She campaigned on reducing defence spending and promoting stability across the Taiwan Strait, warning against letting Taiwan &ldquo;become the sacrifice of geopolitics.&rdquo;
Her victory comes at a sensitive time. While KMT is not in power, the party and its ally, Taiwan People's Party, hold a legislative majority that could make it difficult for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to push through its budget and policies.
Speaking after her win, Cheng said the KMT would work to ensure &ldquo;regional peace&rdquo; and safeguard stability. &ldquo;The KMT will make our home the strongest shelter for everyone against life&rsquo;s storms. We must not let Taiwan become a troublemaker,&rdquo; she declared at party headquarters in Taipei.
Cheng&rsquo;s stance contrasts sharply with President William Lai Ching-te&rsquo;s government, which has pushed for higher defence spending with strong support from the United States.
Cheng secured more than 50 percent of the vote, beating the establishment-backed Hau, though turnout remained below 40 percent.
The election, however, was clouded by accusations of Chinese interference. Jaw Shau-kong, a senior KMT figure and Hau&rsquo;s supporter, alleged that disinformation about Hau was spread on social media.
The head of National Security Bureau, Tsai Ming-yen, said investigators found over 1,000 videos on TikTok and 23 accounts on YouTube discussing the election, with more than half based overseas. He did not specify which candidate the content supported or confirm whether it originated from China.
A DPP spokesperson claimed Beijing&rsquo;s hand was visible and urged the KMT to protect Taiwan&rsquo;s national security. Cheng dismissed the allegations as &ldquo;very cheap labels&rdquo; and insisted her party&rsquo;s policies were independent.
State Council Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing downplayed the issue, calling the leadership vote an internal KMT matter and stating that comments from Chinese internet users did not reflect any official stance.
Cheng&rsquo;s election is likely to set the stage for renewed debate in Taiwan over how to handle its tense relationship with China, at a time when military and political pressures in the region continue to mount.

Taiwan opposition picks leader favoring China talk

Top officials meet in Beijing to boost CPEC cooperation and infrastructure development

Taiwan opposition picks leader favoring China talk

Top officials meet in Beijing to boost CPEC cooperation and infrastructure development

October 19, 2025 | 21:38 IST