The Taiwanese Association of America yesterday issued a statement saying it does not welcome Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) upcoming visit to the US and called him an “opportunistic politician.”
“The changes in Mayor Ko Wen-je’s remarks and behavior clash with the values of our association,” it wrote in a statement posted on its Web site. “His China-friendly and anti-US attitude run counter to the shared values and friendship between Taiwan and the US, and can even harm the relationship.”
“The Taiwanese Association of America has made a decision not to support nor welcome Mayor Ko’s visit to the US, and also urges all Taiwanese in the US not to greet such an opportunistic politician,” it said.
Photo: CNA
It said Ko’s values have changed in the past four years, offering nine examples, including his remark that the “two sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family”; his analogy saying that Taiwan is only a commodity for the US and comparing Beijing to the police in a metaphor to describe Taiwan’s relationship with China and the US; and his remark questioning whether Taiwan’s military could withstand two days of attack by China.
The association said its attitude toward Ko has changed from tolerant to disappointed and even furious in the past four years, and although its members would not protest Ko during his visit, it had shifted its policy from “giving a warm welcome” to “refusing to greet.”
Ko yesterday brushed off questions about the association, saying: “Usually a statement is issued only when one wants to greet someone, so issuing a statement saying there would be no greeting is really strange.”
Ko is to visit the US from Saturday to March 24, with stops in New York, Washington, Atlanta and Boston.
In Washington, Ko is expected to visit the US Capitol Building and speak at the Heritage Foundation.
Additional reporting by CNA
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