The speaker of Taiwan’s legislature, Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), is in Washington this week leading a cross-party delegation to reinforce ties with U.S. lawmakers, even as his opposition Chinese Nationalist Party, or KMT, faces internal tensions over defense spending and China policy.
Han said before leaving Taipei that the trip was made possible by an invitation from several members of Congress to promote closer Taiwan-U.S. ties through parliamentary exchanges. The delegation has already visited TSMC’s Arizona complex and moved on to Washington for meetings with U.S. senators, House members and senior officials.
Aside from Han, the delegation includes three lawmakers from the KMT, three from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP, and one from the minority Taiwan People’s Party, or TPP.
The KMT lawmakers are Lin Szu-ming (林思銘), who blocked 124 national security bills during the 2025 legislative session; Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆), a specialist in finance policy; and Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔), one of the KMT’s longest-serving legislators.
Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷), one of DPP lawmakers, is co-convener of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.
The KMT delegates were chosen by a random draw after 25 lawmakers registered to compete for spots, following complaints that an earlier plan to assign members by policy expertise was unfair. Chen was chosen by Han due to his legislative role, while his DPP colleagues were selected through a random draw. The TPP legislator was sent because of his background in AI and semiconductors.
The Taiwanese delegation met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and took part in a reception hosted by Taiwan’s representative office attended by more than 30 members of the House, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“The support for Taiwan is bipartisan and bicameral — both houses, both parties,” Pelosi said. “It’s about peace. It’s also about commerce in terms of keeping the ships able to travel here.”
Han told the reception Taiwan often receives praise abroad but is unable to secure formal diplomatic recognition, comparing the situation to a romance that cannot become a marriage. “On the international stage, Taiwan feels very lonely in its heart,” he said, urging Congress to help the island nation play a larger role on the international stage.
China leverages its power and influence to prevent Taiwan from joining international organizations like the U.N. Only 12 countries, including the Holy See, maintain official ties with Taipei.
Han’s delegation is scheduled to fly back to Taiwan later today on EVA Air’s inaugural direct flight from Washington. This will be the first direct flight from a Taiwanese airline to the U.S. capital.
Han is the third presumed KMT presidential hopeful to visit Washington this year. Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文), the party’s chairwoman, visited earlier this month. Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) visited in March.
The KMT’s show of inter-party unity in Washington stands in contrast to the divisions back home over defense spending and policy toward the U.S. and China.
Cheng has been criticized for focusing on engagement with China at the expense of U.S.-Taiwan relations. She faced open dissent from members of her own party earlier this year as she led efforts with the TPP to significantly trim the defense budget and block funding of a domestic drone industry for national defense.
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