KMT chairman says no rush to meet with Xi, says one country, two systems “no market” in Taiwan

The chairman of Taiwan‘s opposition Kuomintang party said Tuesday (March 2) that he was in no hurry to travel to mainland China to meet with Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping. He also said there was “no market” in Taiwan for Beijing‘s proposal to subject Taiwan to Communist rule.

In an interview with Reuters, Jiang said he was in no hurry to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps and visit Beijing to meet the Communist Party and its leader Xi Jinping, saying: “We can wait for a better Time, no need to insist. It’s not about meeting for the sake of meeting, it’s about meeting with meaning and respect.” He also mentioned that the new crown Epidemic has made travel plans difficult to execute.

He added, “The timing has to be right, but more importantly, it has to be with equality and dignity, and it has to be good for Taiwan.”

He also said the KMT and the CPC maintain daily contact, but there is no high-level communication.

Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou met Xi Jinping in Singapore in 2015, but that meeting was considered a meeting between the heads of the Communist Party of China and the Communist Party of China, not a meeting between leaders across the Taiwan Strait.

Since then, political trust has “collapsed” and minor issues have turned into slanging matches between Taipei and Beijing, Jiang Qichen told Reuters.

He also described China as the main threat to Taiwan. He said China’s proposal to give Taiwan a high degree of autonomy through “one country, two systems” is like Beijing’s management of Hong Kong, where there is no market and people like freedom.

“We are used to this way of Life. If you want the people of Taiwan to change it, it’s impossible.” Jiang Qichen said.

After the KMT lost last year’s presidential election in Taiwan, Wu resigned as party chairman. The KMT then held a by-election for party chairman in March last year, and legislator Jiang Qichen was elected.

The KMT is expected to hold a re-election for party chairman in July this year, and Jiang will face another election challenge. He reiterated that he is not interested in running for president, but would rather be a “kingmaker” to find the right candidate for 2024 and help the KMT return to power.