Lai Ching-te's trip to Latin America: Typhoon Danas or Chinese interference
Lai was speculated to visit the region next month as part of efforts to reinforce ties with Taiwan's few remaining diplomatic allies, particularly as several countries have recently switched allegiance to China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, The Guardian reported.
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However, the Taiwanese government said the president did not have any overseas travel plans because of mounting domestic concerns, including recent natural disasters and ongoing tariff negotiations with the United States.
The country is still reeling from Typhoon Danas, which slammed the island's densely populated west coast earlier this month, bringing record winds and widespread damage to homes and power infrastructure.
Embassy officials in Guatemala cited 'typhoon that caused many natural disasters' as the reason for the visit being postponed. A source told Reuters that Lai needed to focus on organising his administration's response to the extreme weather at home.
Meanwhile, conflicting reports have emerged surrounding a potential stopover in New York that was originally part of Lai's itinerary.
The AP quoted a source familiar with discussions, who said the US 'had asked Taipei to rearrange the transit, not go through New York.'
According to the Financial Times, the US denied permission for the stopover after China raised objections with Washington.
The United States has historically permitted such transits by high-level Taiwanese officials, but Lai's proposed stop was expected to provoke Beijing at a time when President Donald Trump is seeking a trade deal with China. The Chinese government routinely protests any signs of support for Taiwan by Washington.
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Commenting on the issue, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said during a routine briefing that no official plans had been confirmed, making the issue 'hypothetical.'
'At this point, there have been no … travel plans for the president. There has been, as a result, nothing cancelled,' she said. Bruce reiterated that US transit practices for Taiwanese leaders remain 'fully consistent with our longstanding policy and practice.'
Jason Hsu, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a former legislator in Taiwan, pointed out that Taipei regularly coordinates such transits with Washington and called it 'abnormal' for the US not to approve the stopover, especially as such visits are covered under the Taiwan Relations Act.
'If the US had prevented Lai's stopover,' he added, 'the Trump administration would appear to be accommodating China's red lines.'
Democrats in the US were quick to criticise the Trump administration. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the House's China committee, called the move 'another example of the Trump administration caving to China in hopes of reaching a trade deal.'
'Presidents of both parties have allowed Taiwan officials to transit through the US in the past, and now should be no different,' he said in a statement.
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