KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun Speaks to CNN on Taiwan's Defense

TaiwanPlus News

In an interview with CNN, opposition Kuomintang Party Chair Cheng Li-wun says her party is staunchly committed to Taiwan's defense, shortly after a meeting with China's President Xi Jinping, just days before US President Donald Trump and Xi are to meet, with Taiwan possibly on the agenda. But some US voices are concerned by the opposition's decision to pass a defense package that falls around 40% short of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party proposal, and which impacts asymmetric capabilities such as drones.

Transcript

00:00Kuomintang Party Chair Chen Liwen has told CNN in an interview that she wants more dialogue and less confrontation with

00:07China.

00:08Chen's interview with CNN comes days before U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet with Chinese President Xi

00:14Jinping,

00:15a meeting where Taiwan is likely to be a discussion topic.

00:19Chen herself met with Xi just weeks ago.

00:21The interview also comes after the KMT and Taiwan People's Party greenlit a defense package that cut about 40 percent

00:29from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's original proposal.

00:33Chen says the KMT firmly supports Taiwan's defense and that friendship with the United States does not need to impact

00:40ties with China.

00:41But some in Washington disagree with her party's defense strategy,

00:45including former Deputy U.S. National Security Official Matt Pottinger, who questioned cutting funding for drones.

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