During her stay, Tsai is expected to exchange views with U.S. officials on bilateral ties, as well as outline her campaign platform for the 2016 ROC presidential election with expatriate groups. She will also visit Cisco Systems Inc., Facebook Inc. and Stanford University.
“We believe she will broach Taiwan’s economic development, cross-strait relations and ties with the international community during talks with U.S. officials,” a DPP staffer said.
Another highlight of the trip is a discussion June 3 at Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies moderated by Kurt Campbell, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. This is in addition to private talks with U.S. politicians and policymakers, including Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.
The visit is Tsai’s second to the U.S. as a DPP presidential candidate. A previous trip in September 2011 saw her deliver an address at President Ma Ying-jeou’s alma mater, Harvard University.
Tsai secured in mid-April the DPP nomination to contest next year’s presidential race. She is up against Shih Ming-te, a former DPP chairman and longtime political activist, with the ruling Kuomintang yet to settle on a candidate. (YHC-JSM)
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