Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun recently proposed the European Union as a framework for managing cross-strait relations with China. Analyst Meng Kit Tang examines the KMT’s repeated use of this analogy, questioning its relevance to the complex dynamics between Taiwan and mainland China. The article argues that fundamental conditions present in postwar Europe – factors which fostered integration – are largely missing in the Taiwan Strait context. These absent elements significantly limit the potential for a similar integrative model. This raises doubts about the effectiveness of using the EU as a diplomatic reference point for cross-strait dialogue. The piece ultimately assesses the limitations of this "borrowed architecture" in addressing the ongoing impasse.