Eric Chu (朱立倫)
Taipei, Nov. 9 (CNA) Eric Chu (朱立倫), chairman and presidential candidate of the ruling Kuomintang, will meet with White House and State Department officials during his upcoming visit to the United States, party officials said Monday.
Chu is scheduled to depart Tuesday for the four-city U.S. tour that will take him to Los Angeles, Washington D.C., New York and San Francisco.
His delegation will include Jason Yuan (袁健生), former Taiwan representative to the United States; former Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang (楊進添); Ho Szu-yin (何思因), former deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council; Lin Yi-hua (林奕華), chief of the KMT's Culture and Communications Committee; and Kuo Yun-kuang (郭昀光), director of the KMT's Department of Overseas and International Affairs.
Lin said during the trip, Chu will exchange views with the U.S. side on issues such as cross-Taiwan Strait policy, Taiwan-U.S. relations, East Asian security and regional economics.
In addition, Chu will use the opportunity to express his appreciation to Taiwanese expatriates in the United States for their firm support, Lin said.
After arriving in Los Angeles, the first leg of his U.S trip, Chu will hold a news conference and attend a welcome dinner hosted by Taiwanese expatriates living in the Southwestern United States, according to an itinerary released by the KMT.
Chu will later head to Washington D.C., the highlight of his trip, where he is expected to meet White House and State Department officials.
The KMT, however, said that the details of the related arrangements could not be disclosed, based on an understanding with the United States.
While in Washington D.C., Chu will also attend a welcome dinner at Twin Oaks Estate hosted by Shen Lyushun (沈呂巡), Taiwan's representative to the United States, join a discussion at The Brookings Institution and accept an interview by Washington Post.
In New York, Chu will interact with the Taiwanese expatriate community, accept an interview by the Voice of America and attend a discussion lead by the National Committee on American Foreign Policy.
The final leg of Chu's U.S. trip will be San Francisco, where he will take part in a welcome party held by Taiwanese expatriates from the Bay Area.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Eleanor Wang (王珮玲) said Monday the ministry will provide Chu's delegation with the necessary administrative assistance.
(By Claudia Liu and Y.F. Low)
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