Opposition KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) is leading a delegation to China on Wednesday for a 10-day visit. They are slated to meet with the new head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Song Tao (宋濤) as well as other officials and businesspeople.
The KMT says the trip’s objectives are to maintain channels of communication with Chinese officials and look after the needs of Taiwanese living in China. But the ruling DPP has criticized the trip, saying it would spark “unnecessary speculation” abroad and “demonstrate loyalty to China.”
The trip comes shortly after US State Secretary Antony Blinken postponed a trip to China, following an alleged surveillance balloon crossing over into US airspace. The timing of Hsia’s last trip to China in August 2022 was also controversial. His visit came soon after Beijing began large-scale military drills around Taiwan in retaliation for US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
Hsia says there’s never a perfect opportunity to visit, but it’s important to do so as tensions rise.