Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) confirmed that she has asked to meet with US President Donald Trump during an upcoming trip to the US, Bloomberg reported yesterday, though she added it could be “very difficult” to make happen.
“As long as it is something that helps the cause of peace, if we could meet with President Trump, it would, of course, be exactly what we are looking for,” Cheng said in an interview with Bloomberg.
The move follows Cheng’s visit to China earlier this month, in which she met with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), marking the first time in a decade that a sitting KMT leader has visited China.
Photo: Bloomberg
Meetings between Taiwanese officials and top US leaders often incite the wrath of Beijing, Bloomberg said, referencing China’s formal protests after a phone call between then-president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and then-president-elect Trump in 2016.
However, Cheng said in the interview that she believes Xi would approve of her trip to the US, planned for next month.
Meanwhile, Trump is set to travel to Beijing from May 14 to 15 for a summit with Xi, and Taiwan is expected to be a key talking point.
Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) yesterday said that Taiwan remains the “biggest point of risk” in China-US relations during a call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Reuters reported yesterday.
If Trump were to say he opposes Taiwan declaring independence during his meeting with Xi, it would “align exactly” with her party’s position, Cheng told Bloomberg.
Such a stance may “help build further trust with Beijing,” she said, adding that “there is a significant difference in tone between ‘not supporting’ and ‘opposing.’”
“If Taiwan independence is no longer an option, I believe cross-strait relations will improve rapidly,” she added.
Cheng said she has no intention to run for president in the 2028 elections, adding that she would instead “focus on doing [her] current job well, including domestic elections and the visit to the US.”
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