KMT's US visit delegation includes Chinese spouse; Tsai calls it 'female power' symbol

Kuomintang (KMT) Vice Chairman Alex Tsai defended the inclusion of a Chinese national married to a Taiwanese citizen in a recent US delegation, framing it as a display of the party's "female power." The individual, Chin Peng-chen, is a standing committee member of the KMT and accompanied party chairwoman Cheng Li-wen on her 14-day visit to the United States.

Tsai asserted that Chin Peng-chen's presence was natural given her status as a KMT standing committee member. He argued against using her background as a Chinese spouse and her past pro-China remarks for political attacks, stating that she is also a citizen of the Republic of China (ROC) and contributes to Taiwanese society. Tsai believes it is unfair to judge her based on past statements and that she should not be subjected to "red-tagging."

The KMT official stressed that the delegation's main objective was to communicate the party's policies directly to US lawmakers. He highlighted that the majority of the delegation comprised female KMT members, intended to showcase the party's commitment to women's empowerment. Tsai reiterated that the KMT adheres to the ROC Constitution and aims to convey its stance to the US, emphasizing a pro-ROC position rather than a pro-China one.

Tsai suggested that any concerns raised in US political and academic circles about Chin Peng-chen's participation might stem from misinformation, potentially from sources aligned with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), aiming to create doubts in the US. He acknowledged that such perceptions might influence some in the US but affirmed the KMT's willingness to address them directly. The party's core message, he explained, is its commitment to the ROC Constitution as the most viable path to cross-strait peace and potentially reducing US strategic burdens in Asia.