Joe Biden is set to take over the White House on Jan. 20 next year as the electoral college vote takes place on Monday. Though Biden’s inauguration ceremony will be downsized due to the pandemic, Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang party is hoping to send a delegation to attend the event.

Opposition parties in the Legislative Yuan have, in the past, attended U.S. presidential inaugurations. Charles Chen, a KMT non-constituency lawmaker-elect, is expected to be selected as the representative.

The party has considered sending its chairperson Johnny Chiang to Washington as a member of the Foreign and National Defense Committee, but the round trip would require three weeks of quarantine. Unless Chiang has a “strong inclination” to join, it is not plausible to have him attend the ceremony in person, said a source with knowledge of the matter. “As long as someone from the Kuomintang can be present and form a connection with the U.S.”

The delegation will be selected depending on the size of the ceremony. Charles Chen, with his experience in diplomacy, stands a good chance of being appointed.

For now, the party has only communicated with their U.S. counterparts through video calls, forums and emails. A KMT think tank will hold the ROC-US Online Forum on Tuesday to discuss Taiwan-U.S. relations after the transition in leadership. U.S. diplomats are expected to share insights into the topic of “Taipei’s Opportunities and Challenges under the Biden Administration” via video conference.

As for whether Taiwanese officials will formally attend the ceremony, the foreign ministry of the self-governed island only revealed that they have been in contact with relevant departments in the U.S. without providing further details. The ministry is paying close attention to the arrangement of the inauguration ceremony and will find the most appropriate way for Taiwan to send their congratulations.

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