Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) on Wednesday vowed to stage a comeback in the United States, unveiling a specially designed plaque for its liaison office in Washington, D.C., in a sign of the party's resolve to advance its ties with the U.S.
Speaking at a news conference on the preparatory work for the liaison office, Alexander Huang (???), head of the KMT's Department of International Affairs, said the plaque, whose design was authorized by Chairman Eric Chu (???) and the party, is of great importance to the KMT and will be sent to the office for its inauguration.
The liaison office will be located on Pennsylvania Avenue, which connects the Capitol Hill and White House, Huang said. Huang had stated on Oct. 21 that the establishment of the office was aimed at letting those in the U.S. hear alternative voices on Taiwan besides that of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
He added that if the KMT returned to power, the party's U.S. office would serve the interests of both the U.S. and Taiwan.
Ling Tao (??), head of the KMT's Culture and Communications Committee, also displayed a Republic of China (Taiwan's official name) national flag and a party flag that once flew in the joint Washington office of the KMT and the People's First Party from 2004-2008 at the news conference.
The office, which was shuttered in 2008 shortly after former President Ma Ying-jeou (???) took office, will be tasked with bolstering two-way communication between the party and policymakers in the U.S. to mend ties with the U.S., according to a statement from the KMT in November.
The two flags will be hung again in the Washington office after it is re-opened, Ling said, stressing that they symbolize the heritage of the KMT's relations with the U.S.
"The KMT is set to return to Washington with its pragmatic foreign policy to rebuild two-way communication channels," he explained.
Upon assuming the KMT chairmanship in early October, Chu promised to reopen the party's representative office in the U.S., saying that it would restore mutual trust and two-way communication.
Meanwhile, there have been no further clues as to who will serve as the KMT's representative to Washington.
Chu is reportedly planning to attend the office's inauguration in Spring as part of a wider tour of the U.S.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel