A group of eight opposition lawmakers from Taiwan's KMT has landed in San Francisco to open a 12-day US tour, a routine but telling sign of the party working its own channels in Washington.

• The delegation includes Hsu Chiao-hsin, Lo Chih-chiang and six other KMT legislators, with stops planned in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington and New York.
• Day one was spent with the Taiwanese-American community — the KMT's US branch office, the Sun Yat-sen memorial hall and long-established community groups.
• The lawmakers briefed overseas supporters on Taiwan's political and economic situation and the state of the island's contested parliamentary reform push.
• They also visited Roblox headquarters in the Bay Area, talking with executives about child online safety rules and next-generation immersive tech.
• The stated goal is to turn Silicon Valley contacts and international safety standards into concrete legislation back home.

Outlook: The real test comes later in the trip, when the group reaches Washington and meets US officials.