Taipei denies U.S. blocked President Lai’s transit

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said President Lai Ching-te is not blocked from visiting the U.S., and has no plans for overseas travel soon.

Transcript

00:00Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has not been blocked from visiting the U.S.,

00:04according to Taipei's foreign ministry.

00:06They added that Lai has no plans to travel overseas in the near future.

00:13The ministry's statement comes after reports that the Trump administration

00:16declined permission for Lai's stopover in New York,

00:20fearing it could jeopardize ongoing trade talks with China.

00:23China and U.S. officials are currently meeting in Stockholm

00:26to extend a fragile truce amid Trump's global tariff war.

00:30While Washington does not formally recognize Taiwan as a country,

00:34it remains the island's main partner and largest arms supplier.

00:38Lai's office has never confirmed any travel plans,

00:40but Paraguay said in mid-July that he would visit within 30 days,

00:45implying a likely U.S. stopover.

00:47Bloomberg also reported that Lai was due to stop in New York on August 4

00:51and in Dallas 10 days later as part of a trip to Paraguay, Guatemala and Belize.

00:59Paraguay said at 1 in 2 weeks to open a rolling Words of infection with Maischalman Aied