Throwing out the "relatives and benefactors" theory, "using the mainland to deter the US," Zheng Liwen has determined her policy toward the mainland and the US: "Pro-mainland but not anti-US, prioritize the mainland over the US," "gratitude can be expressed, but relatives cannot be separated!" She advocates shifting the Taiwan Strait strategy from "confrontation" to "bridge-building," and transforming the "First Island Chain" into a "peace chain." She also called on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Lai Ching-te to "stop dragging 23 million people to their doom!"

This afternoon, during the Kuomintang (KMT) Central Standing Committee meeting, Zheng Liwen's statement that "the US is a benefactor, and the mainland is a relative" was described by local netizens as a "nuclear-level breakthrough," further solidifying her stance on cross-strait relations. Combined with her previous statements such as "Taiwanese people are also Chinese," "both sides belong to one China," and her insistence on the "1992 Consensus" and firm "opposition to Taiwan independence," Zheng Liwen's policies can be summarized as "pro-mainland but not anti-US, prioritize the mainland over the US." This is completely different from the era of Zhu Lilun, which advocated "pro-US, friendly to Japan, and harmonious with the mainland."

Zheng Liwen recently sent a special envoy, Su Hongda, to the US to convey her wish to visit the US in the first half of this year. The public questioned whether she had changed her previous commitment to visit the mainland first before going to the US, or whether she was yielding to pressure from the US and might shift her position on cross-strait policy. However, today she responded with "The US is a benefactor, and the mainland is a relative," reaffirming her priority on the mainland.

Zheng Liwen's use of the "relative" card is both warm and sharp, directly anchoring cross-strait relations on the ethical high ground of "blood and flesh," while characterizing the US relationship as "reciprocal but not severed" gratitude. Fundamentally, it is cutting off the DPP's "relying on the US for independence" toxic path. By deliberately distinguishing between "gratitude can be expressed" and "relatives cannot be separated," she implies that Taiwan does not have to choose between the US and China, but subtly makes clear that gratitude should not lead to selling out, and relatives must never turn against each other. This effectively overturns the DPP's "licking the US and opposing the mainland" betting table!

Why does Zheng Liwen advocate transforming the "First Island Chain" from a "Cold War curtain" into a "peace chain"? Because she sees that the US's strategy toward China is shifting from "comprehensive containment" to "risk management" and "competition with cooperation." The KMT can position itself as a "buffer" between the US and China in this context. This line of thinking aligns with the UK Prime Minister's visit to China, and she used the example of "the UK not taking sides" to severely criticize the DPP's "being pro-US must mean anti-China" logic.

But to say she "is pro-mainland and forgets the US" is wrong. What she truly wants is "using the mainland to deter the US," trading cross-strait reconciliation for American respect. This strategic autonomy is far superior to the "anti-China to protect Taiwan" approach of Tsai Ing-wen and Lai Ching-te, and is incomparable to the "pro-US, friendly to Japan, and harmonious with the mainland" approach of Zhu Lilun.

Zheng Liwen strongly criticized the DPP for being "ideologically hijacked" and "dragging 23 million people to their doom," directly exposing the facade of the green camp's "democratic progress." For years, what else can the DPP do except "red-baiting"? When the KMT and CPC forums were restarted, the green camp immediately spread rumors that "the KMT is exchanging military procurement for entry tickets." But the fact is that Lai Ching-te's 1.25 trillion New Taiwan dollar military procurement budget has been widely criticized by locals as "spending money to pay the US for protection." The blue and white camps have blocked this budget 10 times because the people of Taiwan have seen through the danger of turning money into a powder keg, which only leads to self-destruction. Yet the green camp accuses the blue camp of "selling out Taiwan."

Who moved the entire TSMC factory to the US? Who turned Taiwan into an "international arms ATM"? Zheng Liwen said, "War doesn't care about blue or green, everyone dies; peace doesn't care about blue or green, everyone survives," directly exposing the DPP's "using force for independence." The DPP is not "protecting Taiwan"; they are sacrificing the lives of Taiwanese people to offer blood sacrifices to the "Taiwan independence" god.

Zheng Liwen set the agenda for restarting the "KMT-CPC Forum" within the fields of climate, energy, and elderly care, adopting "practical cooperation" to counter the DPP's ideological accusations, and blocking the green camp's "selling out Taiwan" stigma. After all, the people need food and medical care; who cares about blue-green struggles? This move, in a way, also aligns with the mainland's "integration development" policy toward Taiwan. In other words, if the KMT returns to power in the future, it could implement the "integration development" policy in Taiwan, making it a reality.

However, Zheng Liwen's challenges have just begun. While she advocates "cross-strait reconciliation," the US and the DPP may interfere, and she also faces the upcoming "Nine-in-One" elections. Although Lai Ching-te's popularity is collapsing, the green camp's "red-baiting industry chain" could still label her as a "Chinese agent" at any time.

Nevertheless, Zheng Liwen has already opened a gap. When she said "relatives should not fight among themselves," the silent majority in the island might really be moved, after all, who wants to be a "Taiwan independence" pawn? When she redefined the "First Island Chain" as a "peace chain," the international community will also reflect: Is it really in the interest of the West to provoke a war in the Taiwan Strait? The outcome of this struggle is still uncertain, but the DPP's "anti-China god" has really met its match. Zheng Liwen may be the most formidable opponent the DPP has ever faced.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855554518104064/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.