China announced on April 12, 2026, that it will resume some of its previously suspended ties with Taiwan, including direct flights to multiple Chinese cities and imports of Taiwanese aquaculture products. The move coincided with a visit by Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman Cheng Li-wun to Beijing, where she met President Xi Jinping.
The Taiwan Work Office under China’s Communist Party confirmed that both sides will explore a longstanding communication mechanism between the Communist Party and Taiwan’s Kuomintang. Beijing also proposed working toward the construction of a bridge connecting Taiwan’s offshore islands of Matsu and Kinmen to the mainland.
China’s decision is seen as a strategic effort to strengthen ties with Taiwan’s opposition party, which traditionally favors closer relations with Beijing, while bypassing the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The resumption of flights and trade is expected to ease travel restrictions, boost Taiwan’s aquaculture exports, and provide economic benefits, though it may deepen political divisions within Taiwan.
Analysts note that while the measures project goodwill, they also reflect Beijing’s broader strategy of influencing Taiwan’s domestic politics by selectively engaging with parties more open to cross-strait cooperation.
