KMT postpones Taiping trip amid rising regional tensions

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Legislator Chen Yu-jen announced Monday (May 6) that the Kuomintang (KMT) has postponed the planned Taiping Island trip but did not specify a new date.

Twenty lawmakers from the KMT and Taiwan People's Party (TPP), led by Ma Wen-chun of the KMT's Foreign and National Defense Committee, intended to visit Taiping Island on May 16 to assert Taiwan's sovereignty. The sovereignty of Taiping Island, located in the South China Sea, is a contentious issue drawing attention from multiple political parties.

Taiwan, China, the Philippines, and Vietnam claim Taiping Island. Former Presidents Ma Ying-jeou and Chen Shui-bian each made the journey to reaffirm Taiwan's territorial claims, though these trips weren't endorsed by the United States. Tensions in the South China Sea remain high due to ongoing disputes, especially between China and the Philippines, with the U.S. siding with the Philippines.

The KMT criticized President Tsai Ing-wen's administration for avoiding international conflict. "Taiping Island is a part of Taiwan," said KMT Chair Eric Chu on May 5, adding, "It's the responsibility of legislators to inspect any territory." Legislator Wang Hong-wei added, "President Tsai is hesitant to assert our sovereignty, so legislators should visit to do so."

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chose not to join the trip. DPP legislator Rosalia Wu remarked that the KMT's actions "help China and worsen Taiwan's situation." DPP legislator Wang Ting-yu emphasized that Taiwan should carefully reconsider this move, given the involvement of the U.S. and allies like Japan and Australia in resisting China's influence.