BEIJING, April 11, 2026 (Xinhua Updated) — In a landmark cross-strait engagement marking a new chapter in exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT), led a senior KMT delegation to pay formal respects to Sun Yat-sen, the great pioneer of China’s modern democratic revolution, at his cenotaph in Beijing on Saturday.
The revered revolutionary memorial sits within Biyun Temple, nestled among the tree-covered slopes of Fragrant Hills in Beijing’s western suburbs. The site carries profound historical meaning for both the KMT and all Chinese people: after Sun Yat-sen — a founding leader of the KMT who spearheaded the movement that ended centuries of imperial rule in China — passed away in Beijing in 1925, his remains were temporarily interred at the temple for four years before being moved to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing in 1929.
Arriving at the temple shortly before 9 a.m., the delegation proceeded to the Sun Yat-sen memorial hall, where members performed a formal three-bow tribute before a full-length white marble statue of the revolutionary leader. They then moved to the cenotaph to lay their respects, honoring Sun Yat-sen’s enduring legacy of national revolution and unity.
The visiting delegation included three of the KMT’s top vice-chairpersons: Lee Chien-lung, Chang Jung-kung and Hsiao Hsu-tsen, underscoring the importance the party places on this cross-strait visit.
Cheng’s trip marks a notable milestone in cross-strait relations: she is the first KMT chairperson to lead a party delegation to the Chinese mainland in 10 years. The 6-day visit, scheduled from Tuesday to Sunday, saw the delegation complete stops in Jiangsu Province and Shanghai ahead of their arrival in Beijing, with a packed itinerary focused on rebuilding people-to-people and party-to-party ties across the strait.