Direct translation
Outrage! During the Cheng-Xi meeting, the KMT frantically cried out "Lie down in exchange for peace": Kneel before Xi Jinping first!
Reporter, editing : Wang He / https://www.aboluowang.com/2026/0410/2370436.html
In the morning of 10 April 2026, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi Jinping, leader of the Communist Party of China, met with Cheng Li-wen, chairperson of the Kuomintang (KMT). After ten years later, the "Xi-Cheng meeting" appeared, quickly becoming a focus of cross-strait public opinion. CCTV, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, broadcast the meeting immediately, and related topics quickly went viral.
However, at the same moment the meeting took place, another event ignited the Taiwanese internet—the KMT headquarters simultaneously released an AI-generated propaganda video with the core slogan "Only with peace can we lie down and relax; peace is paramount." This video rapidly spread on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, sparking huge controversy.
The 60-second video depicted children sleeping peacefully, youth exercising, and elderly people taking a walk, using soft filters and gentle narration to create a peaceful picture of tranquility, attempting to convey the political message that "peace brings a stable life."
However, what truly ignited public opinion was precisely the phrase "lying down and relaxing."
In the current political context in Taiwan, "lying down and relaxing" is not a neutral term. Originally a self-deprecating remark by the younger generation facing intense competition and anxieties about reality, implying "giving up on involution, lowering desires, and passive resistance," the video was directly appropriated by the Kuomintang (KMT) for cross-strait peace propaganda. This quickly drew widespread interpretation from netizens as: the so-called "peace" actually implies that Taiwan should choose to give up resistance and accept reality in the face of pressure.
As a result, Taiwanese social media exploded. Many netizens sarcastically commented that this was not peace propaganda, but rather "packaging surrender as a lifestyle." Some joked, "If the KMT had surrendered earlier in 1949, wouldn't things be more peaceful today?" Others questioned, "If someone holds a knife to your throat, do you shout 'Peace is paramount,' and then lie down first?"
Behind these reactions lies not merely dissatisfaction with a single video, but a deep-seated questioning of the KMT's current cross-strait policy.
Particularly sensitive is the fact that this video was not released randomly, but deliberately chosen to be released on the day of the Cheng-Xi meeting, highly synchronized with the overall pace of Cheng Li-wen's visit to China. Cheng Li-wen departed on 7 April 2026, visiting Jiangsu, Shangha, and Beijing, with her itinerary arranged by the mainland side, carrying a strong political symbolism. Meanwhile, the Kuomintang's (KMT) high-profile release of propaganda emphasizing "peace is paramount" and "only with peace can we lie low," is naturally seen by outsiders as a proactive response to Beijing's "peace narrative."
Critics argue that this propaganda logic implicitly presupposes that Taiwan can achieve peace and stability simply by lowering its confrontational stance and accepting the political framework proposed by Beijing but the question remains: Who defines this "peace"?
Is it peace based on equality, security, and dignity, or peace based on accepting the "One China Principle" and abandoning strategic resistance? This is the core question in Taiwanese society.
Because reality has not changed. Chinese military aircraft and warships continue to circumnavigate Taiwan, and military pressure and united front tactics have never ceased; cross-strait political differences remain sharp, and regional security tensions persist. Against this backdrop, the KMT's choice of "lying low" as the core of its peace narrative undoubtedly touches the most sensitive nerve in Taiwanese society.
Many commentators have therefore pointed out that the KMT's actions this time were not merely a "propaganda mishap," but rather exposed a fundamental dilemma in its cross-strait discourse: When "peace" is simplified to "non-resistance, non-confrontation, and concessions," it no longer conveys peace, but rather resembles political obedience.
Cheng Li-wen previously stated that this trip was to sow the seeds of peace for "Chinese people on both sides of the strait." However, in the eyes of many Taiwanese people, this "Cheng-Xi meeting" and the concurrently launched "lying down" propaganda were more like a meticulously designed political show: Beijing provided the stage and narrative framework while the KMT cooperated domestically by releasing "peaceful imaginations," attempting to create a political atmosphere where "stability can be achieved simply through dialogue."
However, true peace can never be obtained by unilaterally "lying down." Peace requires the support of strength, the guarantee of institutions, and, more importantly, equal negotiation based on dignity and security. Without these prerequisites, "peace" may only be a temporary surrender to pressure, not lasting stability.
The Cheng-Xi meeting is still unfolding, but at least on 10 April 2026, the simultaneous appearance of the "Cheng-Xi meeting" and the "lying down" advertisement has brought an unavoidable question back to the forefront of Taiwanese society:
What Taiwan seeks for the future—a dignified peace, or stability gained through concessions?
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