I don't think this is right... the KMT long ago came to an understanding with the CCP, and both push for reunification. Rumours are that the KMT is "on the take" from the CCP. The two parties aren't that different. Neither is interested in democracy, both want power and money, and both use triads to get things done. The major difference between them has always been which should be "top" vs "bottom".
Now, in the early days, Lee Teng-hui (the first non-Chiang KMT president) was secretly pro-independence. After leaving office he became publicly so. The remaining KMT leaders keep dreaming of going back to the mainland. Somewhere along the way, they seem to have sold out Taiwan.
I could be wrong... but this is my take from having lived/worked in Taiwan off-and-on since the mid-90s.
That was the CCP stance before 2015. In those days the CCP harbored hopes that the KMT would be amiable to some sort of reunification or at the very least keep the independence movement at bay since it was not yet in a strong enough position to deal with the western world. Since then, the dynamics have changed significantly.
Firstly, the KMT has shown through its 8 years with Ma at the helm that these guys are no different from the DPP. They are the de facto independence crowd rather than de jure like DPP. Throughout the 8 years of the KMT administration, other than shouting a few slogans like the "92 consensus" and constantly demanding for favorable trade and international recognition conditions from CCP, the KMT did absolutely nothing to advance unification.
If you observe the PRC media and online social media response now, it can be argued they are even more negative on the KMT than the DPP. The common train of thought is at least the DPP has the guts to be honest for what they stand for and we can deal with them as the enemy. In contrast, the KMT is now portrayed as useless slimy sleazebags who just want benefits and do not even have the guts to admit the de facto independence they are after. Case in point - Han Guo Yu's sacking is widely cheered in PRC. That ought to tell you something.
Secondly, China is much more influential and stronger compared to the 1990s and 2000s. The utility of KMT as the preventor of DPP officially pushing for independence and thereby drawing a western alliance into a conflict has expired. The DPP leadership are not idiots, they might peddle whatever independence BS for election purpose as and when needed, but they know full well where the OB markers are. The current crop of DPP is also not the older generation of DPP. Those oldies are ideologues for which independence is something to die and go to jail for, the current folks are just typical run of the mill politicians who just want power and money. When independence swings too close to actually doing something, the DPP more than anybody else will be the first to put down.
Thirdly, the western alliance has fractured as can be seen in the HK situation. The Europeans are all acting blur and pretending not to see anything, UK did a perfunctory speech on "potential" of offering 3 million citizenships to HK which everybody knows is for show and will never materialize. The only one that is actively slugging out with China with real actions is the US as an extension of the tussle for global leadership. The rest of the world couldn't care less.
All these factors are actually decreasing the probability of Taiwan declaring independence, the risk of dealing with any potential fallout and ultimately strengthening the CCP's avenues for pushing unification. From CCP's POV, the KMT has already outlived its usefulness and is now nothing more than an irritant constantly demanding for handouts on the premise they are "China friendly".
I do have acquaintances in Taiwan and observe the Taiwanese media as well. It is not readily apparent to most of them because over there nobody really talks about the big macro geopolitical development. It's all very trivial things like some western country politician or bureaucrat say or do something small and inconsequential which is then blown out of proportion giving the impression that the CCP is in trouble and Taiwan is well loved and supported by the international community etc. Just look at the COVID situation, the way Taiwan media report until maciam like the whole world appreciates and are in awe with Taiwan's handling and mask donations and feel aggrieved at the "ill treatment" Taiwan has suffered in WHO as a result of bad China. The truth is nobody gives a flying shit. Nobody did anything at the end of the day. This is real international politics, self-interest is the only currency that counts.
