Hsu Kuo-yung Meets CSIS Delegation, Worries Opposition Parties May Delay Military Procurement Budget by Echoing China

Taipei, Taiwan – April 21, 2026 – The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) announced today that Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung met with a delegation from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington yesterday. Hsu expressed his concerns about certain opposition figures potentially delaying budget approvals by echoing China's political agenda, which he believes could jeopardize crucial opportunities to strengthen Taiwan's defense capabilities. He issued a stern call for opposition parties to prioritize national security and avoid political actions that are inconsistent with their words. The DPP released a press statement detailing the meeting, during which Hsu and the CSIS delegation, led by President and CEO John Hamre, engaged in in-depth discussions on Taiwan-US relations and domestic political affairs. Hsu welcomed Hamre's return visit to Taiwan. Hsu emphasized that the defense special budget and the central government's general budget are not only vital for Taiwan's defense capabilities but also directly impact economic stability and the strategic partnership between Taiwan and the United States. He cited recent polls indicating that over 70% of the public supports an increase in the defense budget, demonstrating a strong societal consensus on enhancing self-defense capabilities. He also thanked the US Congress for their efforts in assisting opposition parties in understanding the importance of the defense budget through delegations and letters. Regarding the current budget review in the Legislative Yuan, Hsu voiced his apprehension, stating that if certain opposition parties delay the budget to align with China's political agenda, it could lead to missing a critical juncture for enhancing defense strength. Therefore, he strongly urged the opposition parties to prioritize national security and refrain from politically manipulative actions that contradict their stated positions. Discussing Taiwan's transformation in recent years, Hsu pointed out that the core key lies in maintaining a firm stance and marching alongside democratic partners. He cited an example of Taiwan's foreign investment landscape undergoing a significant shift over the past decade. Ten years ago, as much as 83% of Taiwan's foreign investments were concentrated in the Chinese market; by 2025, investments in China had dramatically fallen to 3.75%. Taiwan's foreign investments have shifted from China to Southeast Asian markets, and in recent years, substantial investments have been made in like-minded countries such as the United States and Europe. Hsu stated that advanced technology industries like TSMC are driving rapid economic growth through global deployment, fully proving that Taiwan does not need to follow the old path of "1992 Consensus, one China, different interpretations" advocated by the Kuomintang (KMT). Instead, Taiwan should continue to deepen its global engagement and strengthen cooperation with reliable partners like the US, Japan, and Europe. DPP Chairman's Special Assistant Lee Chun-yi added that compared to China's continuously declining economic performance, Taiwan's economic performance has been outstanding. Taiwan's stock market size surpassed the UK's last week, becoming the seventh-largest stock market globally, demonstrating Taiwan's strong economic resilience despite China's complex threats. Regarding the recent "Zheng-Xi meeting," Hsu stated that KMT Chairperson [Name inferred, likely related to the context, though not explicitly stated as attending the meeting in this text, but the criticism is directed at KMT's stance] echoing Chinese leader Xi Jinping's "One China Framework" not only lacks democratic legitimacy but also deviates from mainstream Taiwanese public opinion. Lee Chun-yi criticized that after multiple cross-strait talks, the KMT's sovereign stance has been steadily retreating. From advocating "1992 Consensus, one China, different interpretations" in the past, it has evolved to fully echoing China's "One China Principle," completely ignoring the political reality that Xi Jinping has equated the "1992 Consensus" with "One Country, Two Systems" since 2019. Facing the increasingly severe threat of information warfare, Hsu emphasized that Taiwan has long suffered from disinformation and targeted infrastructure attacks from China, with over two million malicious cyberattacks from China daily. The government has taken proactive response measures to ensure the timeliness and accuracy of information flow and is closely cooperating with allies such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan to secure external communication facilities like undersea cables. (Edited by Chang Chun-mao) 1150421