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Siew meets US lawmakers on visit to Capitol Hill

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice presidential candidate Vincent Siew, second left, meets with Republican and Democratic politicians on Wednesday. PHOTO: CNA

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice presidential candidate Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) visited the US Congress on Wednesday, the KMT representative in Washington said.

Jason Yuan (袁健生) said Siew met 18 senators, including Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joe Lieberman and Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader.

The senators told Siew they expect Taiwan to act as a peacemaker in the Asia-Pacific area and take pragmatic measures to maintain regional peace across the Taiwan Strait, Yuan said.

Siew said the KMT understands their concerns and it would act responsibly instead of acting as a "troublemaker," if it wins next year's elections.

The House of Representatives' Committee on Foreign Affairs hosted a party for Siew which was attended by 24 House members, including the committee's Chairman Tom Lantos, co-chairman of the House Congressional Taiwan Caucus Steve Chabot and senior Republican Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, as well as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

They all praised Taiwan's freedom and democracy, and said the Taiwanese have the right to decide their future, Yuan said.

Siew told his hosts that the KMT supports Taiwan's purchase of F-16 C/D jet fighters from the US and that all parties hope the US consents to the deal.
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