A group of over 280 former Taiwan officials and scholars is calling for peace instead of conflict with China, a stance that could ease tension but faces pressure from both Washington and Beijing's rivalry.

• Former Examination Yuan head Guan Zhong and others launched a "Cross-Strait Peace Initiative" with 280-plus signers, saying Taiwan has little leverage in the US-China rivalry and that only peace can protect the island.
• The group's four points: prioritize peace and stop hostile rhetoric, restart dialogue between the two sides, deepen economic cooperation, and work toward an eventual political arrangement based on mutual respect.
• Organizers argued Taiwan shouldn't just keep buying weapons or pick a side between the US and China, framing peace as the realistic path given Taiwan's limited military options.
• Former National Security Council head Su Chi said US political turmoil and a weakened Trump mean Washington won't have the bandwidth to manage Taiwan for the next two years, making internal unity and cross-strait calm more urgent.

Outlook: The initiative is symbolic for now, with no government power behind it, but it signals growing debate within Taiwan's political establishment over whether deterrence or dialogue is the safer path forward.