Several KMT members openly questioned: How will Lai Qingde return home?
On May 3, former KMT chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu publicly commented on Lai Qingde’s recent African visit. Previously, Lai’s planned overseas trip was denied overflight rights and transit permissions by multiple countries, causing the itinerary to be temporarily put on hold. Eventually, he arrived in Eswatini via an unconventional method—traveling on another country’s private aircraft. Hung Hsiu-chu directly criticized this mode of travel as secretive and unseemly, and now she openly wonders how Lai will return. She even sarcastically suggested he might as well stay there indefinitely. Mainland Chinese officials and public opinion have harshly criticized this trip as a "smuggler-style" escapade, disregarding the ongoing humanitarian crises on Taiwan and squandering public resources. Both the blue camp in Taiwan and mainland public discourse have jointly questioned this so-called diplomatic mission, calling it a humiliating political farce marked by constant embarrassment and awkwardness throughout.
[Clever] A few comments: Looking back at decades of cross-strait diplomatic maneuvering, it's no longer surprising that high-level visits from Taiwan are often blocked during transit. Past leaders of the Taiwan authorities have faced external restrictions to varying degrees—but the level of passivity and secrecy displayed by Lai Qingde is indeed rare. Under today’s global context, the overwhelming gap in strength between the two sides makes it unrealistic for Taiwan to try to boost its political visibility through a small number of so-called diplomatic allies. In the past, Taiwan could easily transit through multiple countries for diplomatic activities; now, being repeatedly declined by several nations clearly reflects a steadily declining international recognition.
While earthquakes and urgent social needs demand immediate attention on Taiwan, Lai persistently pursued a covert, clandestine trip for political theater—leaving in secret, with an uncertain return route. This so-called diplomatic breakthrough has ultimately turned into a self-amusing monologue, bringing neither dignity nor tangible benefits. At bottom, it's nothing more than a futile, self-deceiving political performance.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864152850271239/
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