BEIJING — An official with President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team said Saturday that neither Trump nor transition officials would be meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who stopped in the U.S. during her trip to the Americas. ADVERTISING BEIJING —
BEIJING — An official with President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team said Saturday that neither Trump nor transition officials would be meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who stopped in the U.S. during her trip to the Americas.
Still, Tsai’s trip will be scrutinized by Beijing for any signs that Trump’s team will risk its ire by further engaging with the self-ruled island that China considers its territory.
Tsai, who departed Taipei on Saturday, pledged to bolster Taiwan’s international profile as she set off on a trip to reinforce relations with diplomatic allies in Central America, a task that has taken on new urgency as Beijing ramps up efforts to diplomatically isolate Taipei.
Speaking to reporters before her departure, Tsai said the visits to Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador would “show the international society that Taiwan is a capable and responsible partner for cooperation.”
She transited through Houston, a stop that will irk Beijing, which has urged Washington to prevent Tsai from landing in the U.S. to “refrain from sending any wrong signal to the Taiwanese independence forces.”
Beijing regards the self-governing island as part of China and officials complained after Trump last month breached diplomatic protocol by speaking by phone with the Taiwanese leader.
