TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — There needs to be enhanced dialogue and interaction between both sides of the Taiwan Strait to reduce the risk of conflict, Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih (???) said on Friday (Sept. 15).
In a meeting with Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Vice Chair Shannon O’Neil and CFR researcher David Sacks, Hou said he believes the situation is man-made. As a result, he said tensions in the strait can be managed through human interactions.
He said there was a need for increased dialogue and “functional interaction” across the Taiwan Strait. This approach not only keeps Taiwan away from war but also contributes to regional and global stability and prosperity, he said.
Hou said that according to the CFR’s annual Preventive Priorities Survey, the Taiwan Strait issue has been classified as a Tier 1 conflict since 2021. This classification signifies that should a military conflict erupt in the Taiwan Strait, it would seriously impact U.S. national interests, he said.
It also underscores the fact that the cross-strait situation is closely related to the Indo-Pacific regional order, he added.
Hou said that his primary purpose for visiting the U.S. is to explain how Taiwan can build sufficient capabilities to realize a vision of global stability. He said he wanted to make it clear that Taiwan’s future leaders are determined and confident about facing international challenges head-on with the U.S. and other nations.
Hou will visit New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco during this eight-day trip. He is slated to meet with American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) officials at their D.C. headquarters, as well as U.S. lawmakers.