The view of Taiwan Photo: VCG

A recent CNN report said that Lin Chia-lung, head of Taiwan island's so-called "foreign affairs" department, hosted a banquet at an upscale New York restaurant during the UN General Assembly and invited US officials to attend, however, multiple senior US officials who were invited eventually did not show up.

Although Taiwan island's "foreign affairs" authorities later claimed that a number of distinguished guests from the US and other countries were present, many netizens on the island mocked the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities as self-deceiving, saying that in the eyes of the US, Taiwan island is just a cash cow with no significance. 

According to the CNN report, earlier this fall, there was a gathering on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly with Lin at an upscale New York restaurant. Multiple senior US officials were expected to attend but they did not show up, according to a source who attended the gathering. "Even though the administration signaled through intermediaries that the no-show was simply the unintended consequence of over-packed schedules, it left Taiwan feeling defeated, the source said," per CNN.

The island is actively re-evaluating how they can move to bring the Trump administration to their side, sources said, according to the CNN report. 

The CNN report has been widely re-reported by Taiwan media. The island's so-called "foreign affairs" authorities claimed on Sunday that Lin attended the event at the invitation of former White House national security advisor, rather than as the organizer. 

The news comes amid growing criticism toward the DPP and its self-proclaimed close ties with the US. In an opinion piece for Time magazine, Lyle Goldstein, director of the Asia Program at Defense Priorities, criticized Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te's cross-Straits policy, calling him "reckless" - a remark that has sparked heated debate across the island.

Some Taiwan netizens on the local forum PTT mocked the authorities' so-called "clarification," saying it only made the truth more obvious - the Taiwan authorities likely organized the dinner under the name of American Global Strategies, invited many US officials, but few senior figures showed up. Such a clarification is frankly disingenuous and pathetic, one comment read. They tried to buy attendance through intermediaries, but even then, no one came. Another user quipped that with Lai having been labeled "a reckless leader," it was no surprise others stayed away.

Other online commenters added, "TSMC has already been given away, the planes haven't been delivered, and now even US officials didn't show up - did we get scammed?" "Is this for real?" and "We're being completely ignored - just an ATM with no significance."