U.S. trip aims to ensure cross-strait peace: KMT chair

Taipei, June 1 (CNA) Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) will leave for the United States Thursday on an 11-day visit, citing his main goals as being to safeguard the Republic of China (ROC, the official name of Taiwan) and ensure security across the Taiwan Strait.

Speaking at the party's weekly Central Standing Committee meeting, Chu said that as a responsible opposition party, the KMT must say loudly to the whole world that it "will absolutely adhere to its founding principles, love Taiwan the most, fully safeguard the ROC and stand together with all democratic nations."

"We must tell U.S. politicians and academicians as well as Taiwanese expatriates that the KMT is back and 'we are here,'" he said.

The trip is not merely for the KMT, it is being undertaken for the sake of the ROC and cross-strait security, allowing the public to see the KMT is an accountable opposition fully committed to its goals, he said.

Chu will make stops in Washington, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles during the 11-day trip, accompanied by KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言), head of the KMT Department of International Affairs Alexander Huang (黃介正) and KMT Legislator Chen I-hsin (陳以信).

According to Hsia, one of the major goals of Chu's U.S. visit is to attend the plaque-unveiling ceremony to reopen the KMT's liaison office in Washington on June 8.

In addition, Chu will will also meet representatives from a wide range of sectors and exchange views on the deepening of U.S.-Taiwan relations and the situation in the Indo-Pacific region.

The KMT must demonstrate its commitment to U.S. ties through actions and dispel lies that "the party is anti-American" by stepping up communication with U.S. politicians across party lines, local media and think tanks.

In addition, relaying the unadulterated voices of Taiwan's people to Washington will enable the U.S. to better make correct judgments in cross-strait situations and play a critical role as a stabilizing force in the region, Hsiao stressed.