US Senate Majority Leader: No Meeting Scheduled with Cheng Li-wen, Supports Strengthening Taiwan's Defense

(Central News Agency, Washington, D.C., 9th — Special Correspondent Hou Ziyin) Kuomintang Chairperson Cheng Li-wen is expected to arrive in Washington, D.C. today, planning to meet with US lawmakers and officials during her visit. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune told the media that he has no meeting scheduled with Cheng Li-wen, but fully supports strengthening Taiwan's defense. He believes the US Congress wants to do everything possible to defend Taiwan against Chinese provocations.

In a joint media interview, according to a transcript provided by Congressional Quarterly (CQ), Thune was asked about President Donald Trump's characterization of arms sales to Taiwan as "good leverage" and whether he planned to meet with Taiwan's opposition leader this week. Thune responded that he had no such meetings scheduled this week.

However, he stated that he strongly supports making every effort to make Taiwan as "prickly as a porcupine" in its ability to defend itself against Chinese provocations. "Therefore, if we have the opportunity to do so, I would certainly support it," he said.

In his view, the US Congress wants to do everything it can to defend Taiwan against Chinese provocations.

Experts have noted that the porcupine strategy implies using smaller forces to counter larger ones, using the porcupine's quills to deter enemies, similar to the strategic thinking of asymmetric warfare.

Additionally, after visiting China in mid-May and meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said he discussed arms sales to Taiwan with Xi. Trump also stated that a decision on a new batch of arms sales to Taiwan would be made soon, calling arms sales a good bargaining chip.

When asked by the media on the 5th whether he had made a decision on the $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan, Trump said, "We are considering it."

Following Trump's visit to China, lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties have stated that the US should continue to provide weapons to Taiwan. (Editor: Tang Shengyang) 1150610