Presumptive Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday said that she is not inclined to visit the US before January’s presidential election.
Hung said she would prefer to go to the US after getting elected.
If she were to go to the US now, it would be like taking a test or attending a job interview, which she said would be very strange.
Photo: CNA
The US likely does not know her and is curious about her, but it should feel at ease with the KMT and believe that she will not suddenly become a troublemaker in the Taiwan-US bilateral relationship or in Taiwan’s dealings with China, she said.
According to Hung, many people in the KMT, including KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), have encouraged her to visit the US because it would help boost the morale of Taiwanese expatriates there.
However, Hung said it would not be good if she visits only Taiwanese expatriates in the US and that she is hesitant about whether to go to Washington.
A more important issue is that opposition Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has prepared herself for so many years, while it has been less than two months since Hung joined the KMT presidential primary, she said.
She said she has to race against time to tour Taiwan to see as many people as possible.
Also yesterday, KMT Secretary-General Lee Shih-chuan (李四川) suggested that Hung visit the US to communicate her policies to Taiwanese expatriates.
On Wednesday, new American Institute in Taiwan Director Kin Moy said the US would welcome a visit by Hung if she decided to make such a trip.
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