KMT Chair Cheng Li-wen to Visit U.S., Plans Meetings with AIT and CSIS

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wen is scheduled to visit the United States on June 1, traveling to major cities on both the East and West coasts. According to the plan, Cheng will arrive in Washington on the evening of the 9th and depart on the 12th. During this period, she is expected to meet with members of Congress from both parties and hold closed-door discussions at three major think tanks, including the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), to exchange views on Taiwan-related issues. It is understood that during her time in Washington, Cheng also plans to visit the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) headquarters in Washington to engage with U.S. officials. AIT has its headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, and acts as a liaison between the Taiwan Representative Office in the U.S. and various U.S. government agencies. Cheng is expected to depart on June 1 for a two-week visit. She will first arrive on the West Coast in San Francisco, then travel to Boston, New York, and Washington on the East Coast to engage with U.S. political and academic circles, and finally return to the West Coast in Los Angeles for meetings with the overseas community. KMT representative to the U.S. Qin Ri-xin told the Central News Agency today that Cheng's visit is primarily to convey her views on peace in the Taiwan Strait and to engage with U.S. political and academic figures on issues such as the situation in the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan-U.S. relations. Qin pointed out that Cheng is expected to arrive in Washington on the evening of the 9th, with meetings with Republican and Democratic members of Congress planned for each day from the 10th to the 12th. During her stay in Washington, Cheng is also expected to hold closed-door discussions at three major think tanks, including CSIS. In addition, according to current plans, Cheng will attend a community banquet in Washington on the evening of the 11th, and will accept interviews from international and Chinese-language media in Washington on the 12th, before departing Washington that evening for the final stop of her trip. Regarding Cheng's visit in June, AIT Director Raymond Greene recently stated in an interview that he believes various U.S. institutions will ask whether the KMT leadership is fundamentally changing the party's political orientation, and that Cheng's visit is an opportunity to 'clear up doubts.' KMT Culture and Communications Committee Director Yin Nai-ching responded that the KMT has always upheld the constitutional system of the Republic of China, followed the Constitution of the Republic of China, and opposed Taiwan independence. During her visit to the U.S., Cheng will clearly explain the KMT's consistent positions and stances.