TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) plans to visit the United States in the coming weeks after concluding her European tour, Politico reported on Tuesday (Oct. 15). According to two sources who spoke to NatSec Daily, Tsai described her European visit as an effort to "strengthen ties with other democracies."
Neither the White House nor Taiwan's representative office in the U.S. has commented on Tsai's potential visit. Politico noted that China opposes visits by current and former high-ranking Taiwanese officials to the U.S., viewing their interactions with American counterparts as highly sensitive.
If Tsai arrives before the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 5, she could become a focal point for political maneuvering among Republican and Democratic lawmakers, according to the report. Tsai's visit between the election and the presidential inauguration might attract interest from the president-elect, who could seek a meeting with her, it continued.
In 2016, Donald Trump broke diplomatic norms by accepting a congratulatory call from Tsai after his election victory. Both Trump's and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris' campaign teams have not responded to requests for comment.
Observers will be keen to see how Tsai's visit could influence U.S.-Taiwan relations amid the sensitive political climate. Her interactions with American officials may carry significant implications for diplomatic ties, depending on the timing of her visit.