Proposed US stopover by Taiwanese leader William Lai reportedly blocked by Washington
Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te has no immediate plans for overseas travel, his office
said on July 28, 2025. The announcement followed reports that his proposed stopover to the United States was declined by the White House. The Financial Times reported that Washington blocked Lai's New York stopover en route to South America, where he reportedly planned to visit Paraguay, Guatemala and Belize. The decision is expected to remove major obstacles for a leaders' meeting later in the year, and as a third round of China-US trade negotiations is under way in Stockholm.
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