Deputy speaker to lead legislative delegation to U.S.

Taipei, April 27 (CNA) Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) will travel to Washington, D.C. Sunday with a delegation of lawmakers to hold meetings on issues including U.S. tariffs.

Chiang will depart Taiwan Sunday night with lawmakers Chang Chih-lun (張智倫) and Huang Chien-hao (黃健豪) of the KMT and Lin Yi-chun (林憶君) of the smaller opposition Taiwan People's Party, according to a press release issued by Chiang's office.

Legislators Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) and Ngalim Tiunn (張雅琳) of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party will join the delegation after departing Taiwan on Monday, the statement said.

In the statement, Chiang said he had spent the past 20-plus days meeting with representatives of various industries in Taiwan, listening to their concerns about U.S. tariffs, geopolitical risks and investment needs.

In addition to wishing the government success in its tariff negotiations with the United States, Chiang said he also wanted to use the trip to discuss broader opportunities for mutually-beneficial Taiwan-U.S. cooperation, outside of just "TSMC and semiconductors."

During their visit to Washington, the legislative delegation will hold meetings with U.S. lawmakers, as well as at think tanks, companies and U.S. government agencies, the statement said.

Aside from the tariff issue, the delegation will also push for the passage of a U.S.-Taiwan double taxation relief bill, meet with officials to ensure the timely delivery of U.S. arms purchased by Taiwan and promote wider Taiwan-U.S. defense cooperation, the statement said.

The lawmakers joining the delegation are all members of either the Taiwan-U.S. parliamentary friendship group or the Legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, according to the press release.