US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy confirmed on Tuesday that he would be meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) this year. On Thursday Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said the president’s reported April trip to Central American diplomatic partners would be planned according to usual procedures.
UK-based newspaper the Financial Times on Monday reported Tsai would meet with McCarthy in the United States. McCarthy has said before he would visit Taiwan, but the report says security concerns convinced Tsai to suggest a meeting in California. The president will stopover in California in April on her way to state visits in Central America.
The Chinese military conducted weeks of live-fire drills surrounding Taiwan in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit last August.
Foreign Ministry’s North American affairs head Hsu Yu-tien (徐佑典) says authorities are still working out details of the President’s trip. He says those details will be shared with the public when ready.