The presumptive candidate of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) for the 2016 presidential election, Hung Hsiu-chu, is likely to visit the United States later this year.
KMT chairman Eric Chu said on Saturday that arrangements for the trip will begin after Hung is confirmed as the party’s official candidate at the party’s national convention set for July 19. He said the KMT will communicate with the US on the date of Hung’s visit. He also said August and September are both possible. Chu said in addition to meeting with US officials, another purpose of Hung’s US visit is to win the support of Taiwanese expatriates there.
Following a tradition set by former President Chen Shui-bian when he was running in the 2000 election, Taiwanese presidential candidates from major parties have since made similar trips to the US during their campaign.
Opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairwoman and presidential hopeful Tsai Ing-wen made such a trip that received generally positive coverage in the local press.