No 2 Taiwan official visiting US for 2 weeks seeks ‘better understanding’

Speculation about how much Washington trusts island’s new leader looms over tour by Democratic Progressive Party’s secretary general

Reading Time:3 minutes

Lin Yu-chang, the No 2 official in Taipei’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party led by William Lai Ching-te, speaks at the Global Taiwan Institute in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: SCMP

Published: 6:30am, 4 Sep 2024Updated: 6:43am, 4 Sep 2024

Taiwan’s leader has dispatched his top official – second only to himself within the island’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party – on a 13-day tour of the United States.

The trip coincides with speculation about whether William Lai Ching-te, a self-described “pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence”, has managed to earn Washington’s trust during his first 100 days in office.

DPP secretary general Lin Yu-chang said he would meet senior US government officials and think-tank experts on behalf of Lai, who was sworn into office in May.

Speaking on Tuesday at an event held by the Global Taiwan Institute, a Washington-based think tank, Lin described his trip that began on Saturday as meant to give the US “a better understanding of the situation in Taiwan and how we are handling it”.

Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te delivers a speech during a commemoration marking the 66th anniversary of an artillery battle between Taiwan and Beijing on Quemoy, also called Kinmen, on August 23. Photo: EPA-EFE

The former interior minister under Tsai Ing-wen added that he would try to help “the US, our friends” have a “better understanding and explain all the stances of our party”.