Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) yesterday unveiled a tentative plan to visit the US early next month, which he said would focus on cross-strait ties and US-Taiwan trade relations.
Chu made the statement during a television interview, one day after he said — following his meeting with American Institute in Taiwan Director Kin Moy — that his decision on whether to visit the US would be based on the schedule of his presidential campaign.
“Given that [the Central Election Commission] is to begin accepting official presidential candidate applications late next month, which roughly coincides with the Thanksgiving holidays, my visit to the US has been tentatively scheduled for the beginning or middle of next month,” Chu said.
Chu, who replaced Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) as the KMT’s presidential candidate on Saturday, said further information regarding his visit would be made public once both sides have worked out the details.
Due to the proximity of January’s presidential election, Chu — who is also KMT chairman and New Taipei City mayor — said he might not have the time to visit other nations before the ballot.
“Instead, I will communicate with officials in Japan, Southeast Asian nations and European countries via our representatives there or their representatives stationed here, so that they can better understand the KMT’s policies and my campaign objectives,” he said.
Chu’s upcoming US visit is bound to be compared with a 12-day landmark visit to six US cities made by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in late May, with the rankings of the US officials the two candidates meet carefully parsed.
Chu said that as the cross-strait relationship is closely intertwined with peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, it would be the focus of his discussions during his visit.
“The KMT has long-promoted policies conducive to cross-strait stability. Washington also agrees with the party’s use of the [so-called] ‘1992 consensus’ as the basis for maintaining peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait,” Chu said, adding that the future direction of cross-strait developments would also be deliberated.
The “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) admitted making up in 2000, refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese government that both sides acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
Aside from cross-strait relations, Chu said bilateral trade was also an integral part of US-Taiwan ties, with the latest round of Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) talks between the two sides on Oct. 1 touching on the issue of US pork imports and agricultural trade.
While the two nations have yet to reach a consensus on these issues, the US is believed to have confidence in Taiwan’s trade policies, Chu added.
Chu said his primary goals for the planned visit included pushing for a continuation of friendly Taiwan-US ties in various dimensions, including politics, economy and cultural exchanges.
“We also aim to reassure Washington that the KMT plans to continue being a peacemaker across the Taiwan Strait rather than a troublemaker,” he said.
Separately yesterday, Tsai said she would be happy to see anyone making a positive contribution toward Taiwan-US relations, regardless of their party affiliation.
“Diplomacy is something that we all will have to work hard on, regardless of party affiliation,” Tsai said. “The DPP has worked hard and communicated with different parties, the fruits of which can be shared by all, and I would be happy for Chu to take the trip based on the basis we have built.”
Asked if the Chu would receive a higher-status reception, Tsai said she would be happy if Chu could “open up more spaces.”
“It’s a good thing that, each time someone goes [to the US], we open up more space in Taiwan-US relations,” Tsai said.
Additional reporting by Loa Iok-sin
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty