TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A planned meeting between KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) and US National Security Council officials in Washington was reportedly canceled without a public explanation, Liberty Times reported on Thursday.
The report said the meeting venue had first been changed from the White House to the American Institute in Taiwan’s Washington office. It also said Cheng was expected to meet lower-ranking officials than those who met Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) during her March visit.
DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) said the cancellation reflected US concerns about Cheng and the KMT. He said Washington no longer sees the KMT under Cheng as a trusted partner on Taiwan security and Taiwan-US relations, per Nownews.
Wang said Cheng and TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) had accused the NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.5 billion) special defense budget of being a “blank check.” He said their claims of possible corruption lacked evidence and could be seen as questioning Taiwan-US defense cooperation.
Cheng has said she does not oppose Taiwan buying arms from the US. She said the KMT supports US arms purchases, but wants the spending to follow proper legislative procedures, meet budget rules, and avoid possible corruption.
Before the visit, Cheng said one goal of her trip was to explain the KMT’s position on defense spending and arms purchases. She said some US lawmakers had expressed concern about those issues.
After she met with US lawmakers, Cheng said they also asked about Taiwan’s energy policy and nuclear power. She said some lawmakers questioned the DPP’s anti-nuclear policy and were interested in the KMT’s support for nuclear energy.
Cheng also responded to criticism that she was close to Beijing. She said such claims were taken out of context and misrepresented her position.
CNA reported that the KMT said all of Cheng’s meetings with US executive branch officials in Washington were confidential and that no information would be released. The party said some media reports about the visit were politically motivated.
