KMT Chairman's China Visit Funded by Democracy Foundation to Promote Ideals

The Kuomintang (KMT) party chairman, Hung Hsiu-chu, recently led a delegation on a "Peace Tour" to mainland China, culminating in a meeting with Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping. This high-profile visit has drawn attention, particularly regarding its funding. The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) confirmed it provided NT$4.8 million to support the KMT's delegation, a move that aligns with the foundation's mandate to foster cross-strait exchanges and promote democratic values.

According to the TFD, the KMT's project proposal outlined the goal of using the visit, which included site inspections and participation in events, to "promote Taiwan's democratic and free ideals to China." The proposal also stated an aim to advance peaceful cross-strait relations, maintain stability in the Taiwan Strait, and ensure prosperity. The TFD, established to encourage democratic activities by political parties and promote international cooperation in democracy and human rights, processed the application according to its established principles for party subsidies.

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The KMT's project proposal stated that it would use actual visits and participation in events to promote Taiwan's democratic and free ideals to China.

However, the TFD's own charter includes specific restrictions. It explicitly states that the foundation shall not subsidize activities related to unification or secession, nor shall it support foreign political groups engaged in acts violating local laws or lobbying against the Constitution of the Republic of China. The KMT's stated intention to "promote Taiwan's democratic and free ideals to China" is framed within this context of cross-strait dialogue and stability, a perspective that resonates with the KMT's historical role as a bridge between the two sides. From Taiwan's perspective, such exchanges, while potentially sensitive, are seen by proponents as crucial for maintaining dialogue and understanding in a complex geopolitical landscape, even as the TFD maintains strict oversight on the nature and scope of funded activities.

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The foundation shall not subsidize activities related to unification or secession.