Intrigue over US stopover as Taiwan leader jets off to Latin America

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Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen jetted off on her closely-scrutinized Latin American tour on Saturday, with the eyes of international observers focused on her transit stops in the US.

The trip will take her to Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador, but mystery continues to surround her plans in the US. She is scheduled to stop‍ in Houston, Texas this weekend and return home via San Francisco, California.

Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen. /CFP Photo

Tsai told media before her departure that she aims to strengthen diplomatic relations and trade exchange on the four-nation visit. According to Tsai, she will interact with some state heads and leaders from other nations during the trip. But she was less forthcoming about her schedule during the US stopovers.

Ahead of the visit, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday received a phone call from US Secretary of State John Kerry, who reiterated the one-China policy remains the consensus of both the Democratic and Republican parties. Kerry stressed that US-China relations were very important and his country remained firmly committed to the one-China policy.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) and his US counterpart John Kerry. /CFP Photo

Kerry’s comments, disclosed by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, came amid friction between Washington and Beijing since a controversial phone conversation between US President-elect Donald Trump and Tsai on December 2. A series of combative remarks – often delivered via Twitter – by Trump about China has added to uncertainty over his policy intentions.

For the past four decades, Washington has maintained the one-China policy, which sees Taiwan as part of China, and has had no formal ties with Taipei. Beijing has repeated the one-China principle is the political basis of Sino-American ties.

Hua Chunying, spokeswoman of China's Foreign Ministry, and An Fengshan, spokesman of Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. /Chinese Foreign Ministry Photo

When asked about Tsai’s visit last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the real intention of the Taiwan leader’s transit in the US is clear. Hua added that the Chinese side hopes the US can prevent Tsai’s transit, and refrain from sending false signals to the pro-independence forces in Taiwan.

At the last press conference by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council in 2016, spokesman An Fengshan‍ said the mainland side has always adhered to the one-China principle when dealing with Taiwan's external exchanges.

“Any attempt to create 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan' is doomed to failure…The historical trend is irresistible," he added.