Taipei, Sept. 14 (CNA) The main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) embarked on a week-long trip to the United States Thursday for what his campaign office characterized as a journey to boost dialogue and friendship.
The U.S. is a “firm and long-term ally” of the Republic of China (Taiwan’s official name), Hou, who is also New Taipei Mayor, told reporters at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport prior to his departure.
The goal of the trip, according to Hou, is to demonstrate to the U.S. his will to defend Taiwan’s democracy and freedom and his determination to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
At the same time, Hou said, he hoped the U.S. will continue to “pay great attention to” the stability of the region and lend a helping hand to Taiwan as it seeks a greater role in the Indo-Pacific in the areas of economics and trade.
Hou’s campaign office has said the mayor’s trip from Sept. 14-22, during which he will meet with Laura Rosenberger, chairwoman of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), and U.S. lawmakers in Washington, D.C., is “a journey of engaging in dialogue and deepening friendship.”
In response to a CNA request for a comment, an AIT spokesperson said earlier Thursday that the U.S. “warmly welcome[s] Mayor Hou’s upcoming travel,” but also noted Washington’s commitment to “impartiality” in Taiwan’s presidential race.
According to the campaign office, Hou will first touch down in New York on Thursday evening (all local times) and stay in the city for less than two days before setting out for New Jersey on Saturday afternoon.
While in New York, Hou is scheduled to take part in two symposiums, one hosted by the National Committee on American Foreign Policy and the other by the Council on Foreign Relations, the office said.
In addition, he will meet with Joseph Kahn, executive editor of The New York Times, the paper’s editors, and be interviewed by Bloomberg News, according to the office.
The mayor will also meet with Taiwanese expatriates in New York and during his brief visit to New Jersey, the office said.
After wrapping up his itinerary on the East Coast, Hou will travel to Washington, D.C. in the early hours of Sept. 17 and spend approximately three days there before heading to San Francisco next Wednesday.
Other than meeting with Rosenberger and U.S. lawmakers from both the upper and lower chambers of Congress, Hou has been invited to deliver a speech at the Washington-based think thank, the Brookings Institution, and will meet with representatives from another think tank, The Heritage Foundation, the office said.
He will also meet with more Taiwanese expatriates by holding a lunch with a group that includes Taiwanese tech professionals and attend a dinner in San Francisco, according to the office.
Joining Hou’s delegation to the U.S. are KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言), KMT envoy to the U.S. Alexander Huang (黃介正) and party lawmakers Johnny Chiang ( 江啟臣) and Wu I-ding (吳怡玎).
