A delegation of KMT members led by Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, drawing criticism from the ruling DPP party. The trip which will last until February 17th will include a visit with Taiwanese business people living in China, as well as meetings with Chinese officials.
It has been speculated that Hsia may meet with Wang Huning (王滬寧), who is one of the most senior officials in the Chinese Communist Party and head of the party’s Taiwan policy group. Hsia already announced plans to meet with head of the Taiwan Affairs Office Song Tao (宋濤). Hsia said there is no plan to meet with Chinese president Xi Jinping (習近平), but that he will follow whatever plans his hosts have made for him.
The visit has prompted major criticisms from the ruling DPP party, which called his visit ill-timed, and accused the KMT of “paying tribute to the communists.” Hsia stated the trip has “no political purpose,” and that “for many people there is never a suitable time” to visit China. Hsia last visited China in August, just after the Chinese military began military exercises around Taiwan in response to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit. Hsia said he was criticized for that trip as well, but that the results of the trip were “good.”