KMT Chairwoman Chang: Unification not discussed with Xi; DPP's opaque practices mislead Washington

Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman Sylvia Chang clarified that discussions about unification with China were not on the agenda during her meeting with Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping. Responding to a question from National Public Radio (NPR), Chang emphasized that such a topic was "impossible to discuss."

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impossible to discuss

Chang addressed concerns from Washington regarding the KMT's alleged opposition to military procurement, attributing the misunderstanding to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) "black box" operations and violations of legislative principles. She asserted that the KMT has historically been a staunch supporter of Taiwan's defense.

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they were misled, it has always been the KMT that has been the most staunch supporter of Taiwan’s defense.

She reiterated the KMT's core stance: adherence to the "1992 Consensus" and opposition to Taiwan independence. Chang explained that the Republic of China Constitution includes a "one China constitution" with a "mainland area" and a "free area" (Taiwan). Therefore, as long as Taiwan does not seek permanent separation from mainland China, it does not constitute Taiwan independence. This, she argued, provides a foundation for increased dialogue and reconciliation with Beijing.

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We do not want to see such things continue to be delayed, so we decided to pass the foreign military sales case first.

Chang expressed hope that by strengthening exchanges with Beijing, military activities could be reduced, and trust-building mechanisms established to prevent the worst-case scenarios. She acknowledged concerns about engaging with China, citing examples like Hong Kong, but stressed the importance of dialogue, quoting John F. Kennedy: "Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate."

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Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.