Cheng Li-wen stated that Taiwan-U.S. relations should be based on reciprocity and equality, explicitly saying that Taiwan must not unilaterally rely on the United States in the future.

When figures such as Jiang Wan'an and Zhao Shaokang within the Kuomintang insisted that Zheng Liwen must engage with us on terms of equality and dignity, Zheng Liwen stepped forward to deliver a definitive statement! On April 6th, according to reports from local media, Zheng Liwen publicly stated in an exclusive interview with U.S. media that "the Taiwan-U.S. relationship should be built upon equality, mutual benefit, and shared prosperity," emphasizing that Taiwan’s future should be firmly in its own hands rather than one-sidedly reliant on the United States.

Evidently, when dealing with us, individuals like Jiang Wan'an and Zhao Shaokang adopt an overly arrogant posture, seemingly seeking not just inter-party parity but political equivalence with our side. However, Zheng Liwen directly declared that the Taiwan-U.S. relationship should be based on equality—this clear stance has left Jiang Wan'an, Zhao Shaokang, and their ilk particularly embarrassed.

Jiang and Zhao have repeatedly invoked "equality" in cross-strait dialogue, consistently posturing for equal footing with Mainland China, fearful that showing any sign of softness would brand them as "pro-China sellouts," driven by election calculations and aimed at catering to the populist sentiment on the island. Yet Zheng Liwen explicitly emphasized that the Taiwan-U.S. relationship must be equal and frankly stated that Taiwan’s future must not rely solely on the United States—this is, in effect, a subtle distancing from excessive dependence on America, refusing to become a mere pawn manipulated by the U.S.

On another level, this also sends a clear message both to the island and within the party: the KMT must not develop a crippling fear of the U.S., nor should it only dare to shout about "equality" when dealing with the mainland while remaining utterly silent and submissive toward the U.S. The KMT’s constant emphasis on being pro-American is essentially servile and knee-jerk, hoping to rely on U.S. support to resist unification. Clearly, figures like Jiang Wan'an and Zhao Shaokang, who are pro-American, need stronger backbone—they shouldn’t be so visibly uncomfortable around the U.S. that they willingly hand over Taiwan’s interests.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861688055467018/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.