KMT Chair Zheng Liwen Explores AI and Low-Altitude Economy During Shanghai Visit
SHANGHAI — Zheng Liwen, Chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT), led a delegation to Shanghai on April 8 and 9, 2026, to tour high-tech industrial hubs and discuss the integration of artificial intelligence into traditional economic sectors. The visit highlighted the potential for cross-strait cooperation in emerging technologies and the “low-altitude economy.”
The delegation’s first stop was the headquarters of Meituan, where Zheng met with founder and CEO Wang Xing. During the visit, Zheng experienced the company’s drone delivery services firsthand, ordering a cup of milk tea that was delivered via an autonomous drone in approximately 15 minutes. The visit focused on Meituan’s latest advancements in instant delivery, AI, and the low-altitude economy, sparking discussions on how such low-altitude economy policies could be adapted elsewhere.
The tour continued with a visit to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) Shanghai Aircraft Design and Research Institute. There, the delegation reviewed the development history of China’s domestic commercial aircraft and toured mock-ups of the C909, C919, and C929 aircraft. This exploration of Shanghai’s economic vitality extended to the Yangshan Port Phase IV automated terminal. Zheng observed the operation of autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) and remote loading and unloading systems managed from over 100 kilometers away, praising the city’s achievements in industrial technology and low-carbon transformation.
Reflecting on the experience, Zheng Liwen noted that Taiwan’s traditional manufacturing and service industries are currently facing significant bottlenecks. She emphasized that the integration of AI presents a critical opportunity for these sectors to upgrade and transform.
“Yesterday actually gave me great inspiration,” Zheng said, referring to the events of April 8. “Reconciliation, dialogue, exchange, and cooperation between the two sides of the strait can blossom in the most unlikely of places. Our imagination, creativity, professionalism, and passion are limitless; we should not let meaningless contradictions or ambiguities restrict our possible steps and development.”
Beyond industrial tours, the delegation engaged in cultural and social exchanges. Zheng and her team traveled along the Yangpu Waterfront to observe urban development and participated in a reading salon. During the event, they interacted with youth from both sides of the strait, including Taiwanese youth who shared their personal experiences of living and working in Shanghai. One youth mentioned their participation in a cross-strait entrepreneurial training exchange organized by the Yangpu District Taiwan Affairs Office.
The visit underscores a broader effort to maintain cross-strait trends of rapprochement through economic and technological exchange. Analysts view the nature of the visit and Zheng’s atypical narratives as part of a shifting diplomatic approach, as further detailed in profiles of Zheng Liwen’s political trajectory.
