Visit to New York as Part of Paraguay Trip
Possibility of Meeting with Vice President and Speaker of the House Discussed
Vice President Lai Ching-te, the next presidential candidate of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), visited New York as part of his trip to Paraguay via the United States.
According to major foreign media on the 12th (local time), the China Airlines passenger plane from Taiwan carrying Vice President Lai landed at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) at 8:15 p.m. that day. Vice President Lai posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), "I am happy to arrive in the 'Big Apple' (New York City), a symbol of freedom, democracy, and opportunity," adding, "I look forward to meeting friends in New York and participating in the transit program."
He embarked on a six-night, seven-day visit to Paraguay to attend the inauguration ceremony of Santiago Pe?a Palacios, the newly elected president of Paraguay, Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in South America, as a special envoy of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. Vice President Lai plans to transit through New York on his way out and San Francisco on his return. This marks the 11th time a Taiwanese vice president has transited through the United States.
However, Vice President Lai did not specify whom he plans to meet in the United States. The U.S. side also did not disclose his schedule in the country, but there is speculation about possible meetings with Vice President Kamala Harris or House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
According to foreign media, the Biden administration hopes that Vice President Lai's visit to the U.S. will not attract attention in order to avoid escalating tensions ahead of Taiwan's presidential election next year and to continue the recently resumed high-level U.S.-China contacts. Earlier, on the 1st, the U.S. State Department officially invited Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister, to visit the United States.
China strongly opposed Vice President Lai's transit through the United States, viewing it as a violation of the "One China" principle. Shortly after Lai's arrival in New York on the 13th, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying, "We are closely monitoring the situation and will take resolute and strong measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Some speculate that China might use Vice President Lai's transit through the U.S. as a pretext to conduct large-scale military demonstrations in the Taiwan Strait. In April, when President Tsai Ing-wen visited Central America and met with House Speaker McCarthy and others in Los Angeles, a transit point, China conducted a high-intensity military demonstration by surrounding Taiwan from all directions for three days.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
