Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) has selected a location on Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, for its liaison office in the United States, a KMT official familiar with the matter said Tuesday.
The KMT has chosen a building located on 601 Pennsylvania Avenue for its liaison office which provides a view of the Capitol, according to Eric Huang (???), KMT deputy director of international affairs.
Huang was sent by the KMT in November 2021 to Washington, D.C. to help re-establish its liaison office so that the party could rebuild its ties with the United States.
A KMT preparatory group has been stationed in the office, Huang said, adding that after completing the registration process in accordance with the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act, the office will begin formal operations.
KMT Chairman Eric Chu (???) will visit the U.S. to unveil a plaque at the building to mark the opening of the office, according to Huang. Chu’s U.S. tour is likely to take place in spring when the COVID-19 situation is expected to improve, Huang said.
Often called “America’s Main Street,” Pennsylvania Avenue connects the corridors of power in the nation’s capital, including the three branches of government and large federal agencies.
The KMT shuttered its representative office in the U.S. in 2008 shortly after the election of Ma Ying-jeou (???) as president. After a hiatus of more than 10 years, the KMT is reopening a liaison office to mend its ties with the U.S.
Speaking about the goals of the U.S. liaison office, Huang said that the short-term goal includes appointing the party’s top representative in the country and establishing communication channels with the U.S.
In the future, emphasis will be placed on strengthening diplomatic relations, expanding channels for interactions with the U.S., and expounding on the KMT’s policies toward the U.S.
Nurturing talents in diplomacy and within the party is also its goal, Huang said, as the office will conduct visits to the U.S. government, Congress, and think tanks, and hold seminars and forums to strengthen relations with the country.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel