KMT Chairman Chu wraps up US visit

2015/11/17

Ruling Kuomintang Chairman Eric Chu returned Nov. 16 to Taiwan after wrapping up a seven-day U.S. trip to promote his policy platform as the KMT candidate in the 2016 ROC presidential election.

During his stay in Washington, Chu met with several high-ranking U.S. officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as well as Assistant Secretary of State and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel and Susan Thornton, respectively.

The Nov. 12 discussions went exceedingly well, according to Chu, with both sides exchanging ideas on such common issues as democracy and freedom, security cooperation and trade relations.

“Over the last seven years, mutual trust has been restored at the highest levels of government between Taiwan and the U.S., with significant progress achieved across a spectrum of areas,” the chairman said.

“I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude for the staunch U.S. support of Taiwan’s democracy, national security and participation in international organizations. The KMT will seek to further bolster this healthy state of affairs going forward.”

At a closed-door discussion Nov. 13 at Washington-based think tank Brookings Institution, Chu also shared his views on the recent meeting between President Ma Ying-jeou and his mainland Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Singapore.

“The exchange between the leaders of Taiwan and mainland China is a historic milestone in the development of cross-strait ties,” he said. “The meeting is especially salient in that it laid the foundation for future interactions between the leaders of the two sides to continue under this framework.”

Chu said in order to maintain the status quo of peace and stability, Taiwan must strengthen its understanding of mainland China while promoting cross-strait prosperity. Taiwan will also continue to act as a responsible stakeholder in the global community by working closely with the U.S. and other regional partners, he added.

Before leaving Washington, Chu also met with the U.S. National Security Council officials at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building situated west of the White House. He exchanged views on the prospects for cross-strait relations with NSC Senior Director for Asian Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink and Director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolian Affairs Ryan Hass.

This was in addition to brief meetings with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Abraham Denmark and Deputy Trade Representative Robert Holleyman.

Chu completed his itinerary by visiting the nongovernmental organization National Committee on American Foreign Policy in New York before returning to Taiwan from San Francisco.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=238905&ctNode=2194&mp=9)