TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The office of former Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) expressed unwavering support for the current administration on Monday (April 7) amid growing calls from within the ruling party for high-profile diplomatic intervention. The statement came in response to a proposal from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) legislators suggesting that either former President Tsai or current Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) should head a specialized delegation to Washington for critical trade talks. The urgent diplomatic initiative follows U.S. President Donald Trump's recent announcement of a sweeping 32% reciprocal tariff on Taiwanese exports, a measure that has sent shockwaves through the island's export-dependent economy and prompted calls for an extraordinary response.
The proposal comes despite President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) announcement on Sunday that Taiwan has already assembled an official negotiation team to address the tariff crisis. According to Lai, the delegation will be headed by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君) and incorporates representatives from key governmental bodies including the National Security Council (國安會), the Office of Trade Negotiations (經貿談判辦公室), various ministries, as well as experts from academic institutions and industry sectors. During a press conference held Monday, DPP legislator Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純) made a passionate case for reconsidering this arrangement, emphasizing the critical need for experienced leadership in the negotiation process. "The first person that comes to my mind is former President Tsai Ing-wen for her extensive negotiation experiences in the past," Ho stated, expressing her conviction that Tsai's diplomatic background would make her the optimal representative for Taiwan in these high-stakes discussions.
The legislator further underscored former President Tsai's continued engagement with critical national issues, highlighting her particular focus on China policy formulation, the complex dynamics of cross-strait relations, and management of the vital U.S.-Taiwan partnership. Ho articulated her desire to see an expedited establishment of a specialized envoy team with Tsai at its helm, arguing that time is of the essence in addressing the tariff challenge. The public advocacy for Tsai's involvement has been met with measured restraint from the former president's quarters, however, as her office has deliberately avoided making any direct statements regarding the possibility of her assuming this diplomatic role, maintaining a careful distance from what has become an increasingly public discussion about Taiwan's negotiation strategy.
