FIRST VISIT UNDER TRUMP:DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu said he hopes the visit will allow the delegation to convey the ‘true voice’ of Taiwanese to the US administration

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 14, 2017
By: Lu Yi-hsuan and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwan-US Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association members yesterday left on a diplomatic mission to New York and Washington to meet with members of the US House of Representatives to better understand the US administration’s position on Taiwan and the region.

The delegation is made up of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) — who heads the association — Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲), Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) and Yu Mei-nu (尤美女); Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) and Jason Hsu (許毓仁); and New Power Party Legislator Kawlo Iyun Pacidal.

The association — established several years ago for the purpose of advancing communication between Taiwan and the US — has been headed by both DPP and KMT party members. It is considered one of the main quasi-official channels for communication between the two nations in the absence of official ties.

The eight-member delegation — the first to visit the US since US President Donald Trump’s inauguration — is to meet with US think tanks and officials from various administrative departments.   [FULL  STORY]