Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said on Wednesday that Vice President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim’s (蕭美琴) recent trip to the United States was to handle private affairs.
During a Foreign and National Defense Committee meeting in the Legislature on Wednesday Wu said that, given her status as Vice President-elect, the Foreign Ministry communicated with the U.S. and received courtesy accordingly.
Minister Wu also explained that the purpose of Hsiao’s visit to the Czech Republic was to attend think tank invitations in Europe and visit friends in the region. He declined to disclose whether she would visit countries other than the Czech Republic. After Hsiao’s European trip concludes, she is expected to return directly to Taiwan.
The Vice President-elect’s visit to Europe has drawn discontent from China. Minister Wu says that China tends to protest regardless of the situation, and many people believe that if China doesn't protest, it would seem abnormal. He also noted that American friends often tell him that if China is angry, it means they've done something right, implying that China's protests are essentially ineffective.