Cheng Li-wen: If Trump Creates a 'Peace Dividend,' He Will Be the Greatest Leader of the 21st Century

(By Liao Han-yuan, CNA Correspondent in New York, 8th)

Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wen stated today at a forum at the New York-based think tank, the Asia Society, that if U.S. President Donald Trump could play a leadership role in transforming the region from war and conflict to cooperation and dialogue, creating a massive peace dividend, he would not only be a great American president but also the greatest leader of the 21st century.

Cheng Li-wen's public speech at the Asia Society attracted think tank scholars and former U.S. officials. The event was moderated by Orville Schell, Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society. Daniel Russel, a scholar at the Asia Society Policy Institute and former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, joined the discussion. Both posed questions to Cheng regarding her and the KMT's cross-strait policy, the content of a potential Cheng-Xi meeting, Taiwanese politics, and Taiwan-U.S. relations.

Cheng Li-wen and her delegation will travel to Washington on the 9th. She expressed that U.S. President Donald Trump's trip to Beijing was an important step and hoped he would not waste his remaining term of more than two years. For America to be great again, successfully managing relations with East Asia and China is likely a crucial key, she said.

Cheng stated that confrontation, or even war with China, would not make America greater and could bring about very serious and destructive consequences. She hopes the U.S. and China can also begin to build mutual trust, exchange, and friendship, and stop the Cold War and zero-sum game mentality. She hopes the first island chain can be transformed into a chain of peace and prosperity.

She said that if the United States, in a leadership role, transforms the region from war and conflict to one that creates a massive peace dividend through cooperation and dialogue, especially in the AI era, it would align with the interests of all countries in the region and absolutely with the national interests of the United States. If Trump can play this leadership role, he would not only be a great American president but also a great world leader, the greatest leader of the 21st century.

Cheng Li-wen emphasized that for a peaceful and stable cross-strait relationship, her own efforts and dialogue with Chinese President Xi Jinping still very much need U.S. support. This is why her visit to the U.S. is of the utmost importance for herself, the KMT, and especially for Taiwan.

Citing the European Union as an example, Cheng noted that a completely new system will be developed in the future based on the practical needs of both sides of the strait. The key is that it must meet the concrete needs of the people, protect their well-being, and gain their support.

Orville Schell responded by calling Cheng an idealist. Cheng further explained that she is not just an idealist but also has a roadmap. Based on her political experience and capabilities, she is pragmatically advancing step by step. She doesn't know if it can be ultimately achieved, but so far, she cannot find a more pragmatic method than the one she has described that can rule out solving cross-strait issues by force or coercion. This, she argued, is the true reality.

Cheng pointed out that those who want to resolve cross-strait issues through force or coercion are impractical because they will certainly face obstacles, will not succeed, and will pay a huge price. Any pragmatic politician, she said, will quickly realize that her proposal is the truly pragmatic and feasible solution.