Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) intends to visit Washington this year to mark the opening of a KMT office there and meet with US officials, a source said yesterday.
After the COVID-19 pandemic has “slowed down,” Chiang would visit Washington, where he would meet with members of the Taiwan Benevolent Association of Metropolitan Washington, the source said.
In a meeting with American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen in June last year, Chiang said that he hoped the US would take concrete actions in support of democracy and freedom in Taiwan.
Photo: CNA
At the meeting, Christensen said the US has always valued Taiwan as a trading partner and that the AIT welcomed the KMT’s establishment of an office in Washington.
The KMT has been preparing to open the Washington office since January, and had already found a location, the source said, adding that it was waiting for the pandemic to abate before proceeding.
In a videoconference with members of the association last month, Chiang thanked the organization for its support since he was elected KMT chairman, and said that he would visit the association and other members of the Taiwanese community in Washington when he travels there, the source said.
It has always been a goal of the KMT to establish a representative office in Washington, KMT vice chairman of international affairs Ho Chih-yung (何志勇) said.
Therefore, Chiang’s position on the matter did not represent a shift in party policy, Ho said, adding that Chiang would also likely meet with academics during the trip.
Meanwhile, in response to guidelines issued by the US on Friday that seek to loosen restrictions on Taiwan-US exchanges, KMT Deputy Secretary-General Huang Kwei-bo (黃奎博) said he hoped the changes would continue the advancement of the countries’ mutual interests.
However, although the KMT understood the US’ way of doing things, it hoped that more of the restrictions that remain in the new measures could be removed, KMT deputy director of international affairs Fang Tien-sze (方天賜) said.
A previous version of the guidelines that did not contain the US’ “one China” policy was scrapped amid concerns among some US officials that they did not overstep any clear “red line” for exchanges.
The US was evidently concerned about affecting its relationship with China, KMT deputy director of mainland China affairs Chang Hung-yuan (張弘遠) said.
“This is the same political reality faced by the Republic of China,” he said.
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