TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) issued a sharp rebuke of Beijing's military posturing on Wednesday (April 2), declaring that the ongoing Chinese Communist Party military exercises undermine prospects for regional peace. Speaking to reporters, Chu emphasized that the drills, which have continued for a second consecutive day, represent a counterproductive approach to cross-strait relations and have triggered significant concern among Taiwan's political establishment across party lines.
At a party meeting, the opposition leader articulated the KMT's foundational approach to cross-strait relations, positioning peace as the cornerstone of their policy framework. Chu directed pointed criticism toward the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨), characterizing their foreign policy as excessively reliant on American support. He differentiated his party's position as "pro-American but not dependent on America," suggesting a more balanced diplomatic approach. In particularly forceful remarks, Chu leveled serious accusations against President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), suggesting that the president deliberately heightens tensions to serve his own political interests, drawing a stark contrast between what he described as the KMT's commitment to "avoid war" versus Lai's purported inclination to "invite war."
The KMT chairman called for setting aside partisan interests and ideological divisions in favor of pursuing constructive dialogue and exchanges between Taiwan and China to build a foundation for lasting peace. With the traditional Qingming Festival—an important holiday for ancestral remembrance — approaching, Chu pivoted to cultural criticisms, targeting what he characterized as a small faction of independence supporters who reject their Chinese cultural heritage. He portrayed such rejection as disrespectful to ancestral traditions. Chu further elaborated that while political diversity is natural in a democracy, the refusal to participate in traditional tomb-sweeping ceremonies during Qingming represents a fundamental dishonor to one's lineage and an abandonment of cultural loyalty that transcends political differences.
