TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Vice Chair Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) stressed on Monday (Jan. 5) that China will not launch a decapitation strike against Taiwan, citing Chinese President Xi Jinping's (習近平) emotional ties to Taiwan and potential harm to China's overall interests. Hsiao emphasized the costs of such military action would outweigh the benefits and hinder future cross-strait relations, referring to ties between Taiwan and China. The remarks come amid ongoing tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
In a Facebook post, Hsiao shared insights from an interview with media personality Huang Yang-ming (黃揚明), analyzing the U.S. decision to bring Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to justice on drug smuggling charges. Hsiao argued this move disrupts the rule-based international order, likening it to a return to the "law of the jungle." The KMT vice chair criticized President Trump's actions as an attempt to reassert dominance in the Americas, suggesting this reflects the future international landscape.
Hsiao noted many Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨), Taiwan's ruling party, members celebrated the U.S. action, mocking Venezuela's Chinese-made defense systems as ineffective. However, the KMT vice chair cautioned this view as naive or a result of "cognitive warfare," citing reports of severe infiltration in Venezuela. Hsiao addressed potential visits to China by KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wen (鄭麗文), stating no further information is available but emphasizing any exchange easing cross-strait tensions benefits Taiwan.
Hsiao highlighted the KMT's strength in cross-strait exchanges as positively impacting elections, noting recent polls show nearly 50% support for the "1992 Consensus" (九二共識), a framework acknowledging one China with respective interpretations. The poll results bolster the KMT camp's confidence ahead of future electoral contests, according to Hsiao. The "1992 Consensus" refers to a tacit understanding reached between Taiwan and China in 1992, though its interpretation remains disputed between Taiwan's major political parties. ◼
