Taiwan president to visit US; Biden administration tells China not to overreact

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is expected to visit Guatemala and Belize and make unofficial stops in New York and California during her trip, and the Biden administration is cautioning China not to overreact. These stopovers are in line with recent precedent and are not official visits to the US.

According to the Taiwan government’s Central News Agency, the “Democratic Partnership for Common Prosperity Journey” will last ten days and nine nights, beginning on March 29.

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During the upcoming trip, Tsai is expected to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as she passes through California, and is also scheduled to deliver a speech at the Reagan Library outside of Los Angeles.

Tsai’s visit to Central America comes amidst concerns that more Latin American countries may flip diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China. In other news, Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which heightened the already tense ties between China and the US.

Transit visits through the US during broader international travel by the Taiwanese president have been routine in recent years. In the past, Tsai has met with members of Congress during these visits. Between 2016 and 2019, the Taiwanese president traveled through the United States six times, according to the Associated Press. However, China expressed disapproval after each visit.

In 2021, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, making her the highest-ranking elected US official to visit the island since then-Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997. Following Pelosi’s visit, which China saw as a violation of its sovereignty, Beijing launched missiles over Taiwan, deployed warships across the Taiwan Strait’s median line, and conducted military exercises near the island.

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McCarthy, who has been vocal in his support for Taiwan, pledged to visit the island before obtaining the speaker’s gavel. It is unclear whether he will still do so after meeting with Tsai on US soil. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo are in talks with China, the White House announced on Monday, about possible visits focused on economic matters. Biden is also expected to speak with Jinping soon.