TAOYUAN: The head of Taiwan’s delegation to next week’s inauguration of Donald Trump as United States president said on Saturday (Jan 18) he was going there to extend the island’s “highest blessings” to the US.
Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, enjoyed strong support from the first Trump administration, including regularising arms sales which have continued under President Joe Biden. But Trump unnerved Taiwan on the campaign trail by calling for it to have to pay to be defended.
Taiwan parliament speaker Han Kuo-yu, a senior member of the opposition Kuomintang party and who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2020, said at Taoyuan airport before leaving for Washington that many foreign leaders were also on their way even with the threatened heavy snow.
“All of our delegation members likewise are taking this enthusiasm to the United States to represent (our) 23 million people, and we extend our highest blessings to the US presidential team and to the people of the United States.”
Han is being accompanied by a cross-party delegation of seven other lawmakers.
China’s delegation is being led by Vice President Han Zheng, and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by telephone with Trump on Friday, discussing issues including Taiwan.
Han’s party traditionally favours close ties and dialogue with China, but denies being pro-Beijing.
