President's Visit Obstructed, Cheng Li-wen Asks Government to Reflect, Green Camp Questions 'Turning Guns Inward'
After President Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini was obstructed, Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wen criticized the government. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Wu Zheng questioned why Cheng Li-wen was criticizing the DPP government instead of condemning China's interference in Taiwan's international participation. The incident has sparked an internal debate in Taiwan over cross-strait discourse and international space.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 17:22
- 🔍 Collected: April 22, 2026 at 17:32 (9 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 22, 2026 at 22:01 (4h 29m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Yeh Su-ping, Taipei, 22nd) After President Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini was obstructed, Kuomintang Chairwoman Cheng Li-wen today said that the government should not blame the opposition but reflect on itself. In response, Democratic Progressive Party spokesperson Wu Zheng questioned why Cheng Li-wen was "turning her guns inward" and criticizing the DPP government, asking, "Shouldn't the one to be condemned be China, which brutally interferes with Taiwan's international participation?"
The Democratic Progressive Party held a Central Executive Committee meeting today. Wu Zheng was asked by the media at the post-meeting press conference about President Lai's obstructed visit and Cheng Li-wen's criticism today that the DPP government's cross-strait discourse was wrong and misjudged the situation, and that resisting China was harming Taiwan. She also said the government should not blame the opposition but reflect on itself.
Wu Zheng responded by saying he completely did not understand where the statement that the DPP government was blaming the opposition came from. "When, where, and who in President Lai or the DPP government said something that blamed the opposition?"
Wu Zheng said that President Lai, in his address at the Central Executive Committee meeting today, called on all political parties in the country to identify the true face of China together and unite across party lines to defend national dignity. "Is inviting the opposition to jointly defend national dignity considered blaming the opposition?"
Wu Zheng stated that yesterday, the Chinese Kuomintang issued a statement expressing regret over China's suppression of the Republic of China's diplomatic space, and also saw the Taiwan People's Party condemn China's suppression of Taiwan's international participation. He said that all parties should work together to defend national dignity when facing China's malicious interference and suppression of the country's diplomatic space, and he truly did not understand where Cheng Li-wen's remarks came from.
Wu Zheng also questioned why Cheng Li-wen was "turning her guns inward" and criticizing the DPP government, asking it to reflect. "Shouldn't the one to be condemned be China, which brutally interferes with Taiwan's international participation?"
Wu Zheng questioned whether Cheng Li-wen does not agree that the Republic of China is a sovereign and independent country with complete freedom to make friends with countries around the world. Does Cheng Li-wen believe that a cross-strait discourse that pleases China must first be proposed before the Republic of China's diplomacy can be developed? If Cheng Li-wen holds such a view, it seriously violates the national policy of prioritizing the Republic of China Taiwan and does not meet the expectations of mainstream public opinion in Taiwan.
In addition, DPP legislator Wang Shih-chien said in an interview outside the Central Executive Committee meeting today that the CCP slapped itself in the face and also humiliated Cheng Li-wen, and that the "Cheng-Xi meeting" was just a fake show.
Legislator Wang Ting-yu, who previously accompanied former President Tsai Ing-wen on a visit to Eswatini, said that there are two main options for the presidential plane to fly from Taiwan to Eswatini: one is to fly directly south, passing through international waters and entering Africa; the other is to transfer via the Middle East, but the Middle East has security concerns due to military conflicts, so the choice was to fly directly south to Eswatini.
Wang Ting-yu stated that this time, China used economic coercion to suddenly cancel flight permits in the last 12 hours. "Imagine if they canceled after takeoff in the future?" Although the team made its best efforts this time, for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the national security team, this situation must be included as an important contingency plan for future presidential visits. (Editor: Lin Hsing-meng) 1150422
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(Central News Agency reporter Yeh Su-ping, Taipei, 22nd) After President Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini was obstructed, Kuomintang Chairwoman Cheng Li-wen today said that the government should not blame the opposition but reflect on itself. In response, Democratic Progressive Party spokesperson Wu Zheng questioned why Cheng Li-wen was "turning her guns inward" and criticizing the DPP government, asking, "Shouldn't the one to be condemned be China, which brutally interferes with Taiwan's international participation?"
The Democratic Progressive Party held a Central Executive Committee meeting today. Wu Zheng was asked by the media at the post-meeting press conference about President Lai's obstructed visit and Cheng Li-wen's criticism today that the DPP government's cross-strait discourse was wrong and misjudged the situation, and that resisting China was harming Taiwan. She also said the government should not blame the opposition but reflect on itself.
Wu Zheng responded by saying he completely did not understand where the statement that the DPP government was blaming the opposition came from. "When, where, and who in President Lai or the DPP government said something that blamed the opposition?"
Wu Zheng said that President Lai, in his address at the Central Executive Committee meeting today, called on all political parties in the country to identify the true face of China together and unite across party lines to defend national dignity. "Is inviting the opposition to jointly defend national dignity considered blaming the opposition?"
Wu Zheng stated that yesterday, the Chinese Kuomintang issued a statement expressing regret over China's suppression of the Republic of China's diplomatic space, and also saw the Taiwan People's Party condemn China's suppression of Taiwan's international participation. He said that all parties should work together to defend national dignity when facing China's malicious interference and suppression of the country's diplomatic space, and he truly did not understand where Cheng Li-wen's remarks came from.
Wu Zheng also questioned why Cheng Li-wen was "turning her guns inward" and criticizing the DPP government, asking it to reflect. "Shouldn't the one to be condemned be China, which brutally interferes with Taiwan's international participation?"
Wu Zheng questioned whether Cheng Li-wen does not agree that the Republic of China is a sovereign and independent country with complete freedom to make friends with countries around the world. Does Cheng Li-wen believe that a cross-strait discourse that pleases China must first be proposed before the Republic of China's diplomacy can be developed? If Cheng Li-wen holds such a view, it seriously violates the national policy of prioritizing the Republic of China Taiwan and does not meet the expectations of mainstream public opinion in Taiwan.
In addition, DPP legislator Wang Shih-chien said in an interview outside the Central Executive Committee meeting today that the CCP slapped itself in the face and also humiliated Cheng Li-wen, and that the "Cheng-Xi meeting" was just a fake show.
Legislator Wang Ting-yu, who previously accompanied former President Tsai Ing-wen on a visit to Eswatini, said that there are two main options for the presidential plane to fly from Taiwan to Eswatini: one is to fly directly south, passing through international waters and entering Africa; the other is to transfer via the Middle East, but the Middle East has security concerns due to military conflicts, so the choice was to fly directly south to Eswatini.
Wang Ting-yu stated that this time, China used economic coercion to suddenly cancel flight permits in the last 12 hours. "Imagine if they canceled after takeoff in the future?" Although the team made its best efforts this time, for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the national security team, this situation must be included as an important contingency plan for future presidential visits. (Editor: Lin Hsing-meng) 1150422
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to grasp the latest news in real-time.
The text, images, and audio-visual content of this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.