KMT Lawmakers Visit US Overseas Chinese in San Francisco to Reshape Support

Eight Kuomintang (KMT) legislators, including Hsu Chiao-hsin, Liao Wei-hsiang, Huang Chien-hao, and Lo Chih-chiang, departed on the 9th of this month for a multi-day visit to the United States. San Francisco serves as the first stop of the trip, where intensive overseas compatriot affairs visits were arranged immediately upon arrival. The purpose is to strengthen ties with overseas compatriots and explain the party's policies and the future development direction of the Blue camp to overseas Chinese. In addition to the legislators, the delegation includes party staffers and advisors stationed in the United States, indicating that the trip is not merely a courtesy visit, but one with strategic and political significance.

Since relocating to Taiwan in 1949, the KMT has long maintained an overseas headquarters in the United States, responsible for coordinating party affairs, liaising with overseas Chinese associations, and promoting cross-strait policies. Over the past decades, the party headquarters has maintained close interactions with overseas Chinese communities in the U.S., sustaining the traditional functions of "KMT overseas compatriot affairs" through various cultural, economic, and educational activities. This visit to the U.S. comes at a critical time of internal party reorganization and electoral planning. By returning to San Francisco, a historical stronghold, the party intends to rekindle overseas compatriots' identity and support for the party.

During their itinerary in San Francisco, the delegation of legislators first visited the KMT's U.S. headquarters to hold discussions with local party cadres, review past cooperation achievements, and discuss future overseas compatriot strategies. Subsequently, they visited the San Francisco Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, which has been a symbol of overseas Chinese commemorating the spirit of Sun Yat-sen since the 1970s and often serves as a cultural bridge connecting cross-strait relations and the United States. The trip also included visits to several long-established traditional overseas Chinese associations. Most of these associations were founded by early immigrants and have long shouldered the roles of social welfare and cultural heritage, holding significant importance for the party's foundation overseas.

At the symposium with representatives from the overseas Chinese community, the legislators elaborated on the KMT's stances on cross-strait policies, economic development, and national defense security, specifically emphasizing the necessity of "peace and stability" and "diverse dialogue." Regarding the upcoming local elections and legislative by-elections next year, the party hopes to use this trip to rally support from overseas compatriots and secure backing for funding and electoral mobilization. Representatives of the overseas Chinese community responded by expressing their hope that, amid current cross-strait tensions, the party can provide more constructive policies and help elevate Taiwan's visibility on the international stage.

This U.S. visit also reflects the increasingly close political and security interactions between Taiwan and the United States. In recent years, U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and diplomatic support have continued to increase, exerting a profound impact on the cross-strait situation. Against this backdrop, the KMT is attempting to generate greater resonance at the levels of international public opinion and public sentiment by strengthening ties with overseas Chinese in the U.S., while simultaneously sending a signal domestically that "the party possesses an international vision and is capable of cooperating with the United States," in hopes of gaining an advantage in electoral competition.

Overall, the U.S. trip by the eight KMT legislators is not only a routine visit for overseas compatriot affairs, but also a multi-layered operation combining historical sentiment, political propaganda, and electoral planning. Through deep interaction with the overseas Chinese community in San Francisco, the KMT is attempting to consolidate overseas support and secure a more favorable space for its own political prospects amid the intersecting changes in cross-strait and U.S.-Taiwan relations.