Washington’s reported decision was influenced by objections from Beijing, according to sources cited by the newspaper.
The Financial Times reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with the decision, that the administration of US President Donald Trump denied Taiwan’s Lai Ching-te permission to make a stopover in New York during a scheduled trip to Central America. This action was reportedly prompted by objections from Beijing.
Lai, who governs the self-ruling Chinese island, had reportedly intended an August journey to Paraguay, Guatemala, and Belize, countries that officially recognize Taiwan’s independence, with proposed transit stops in New York and Dallas.
However, on Monday, Lai’s office stated that no overseas travel was currently scheduled, citing recovery efforts from a recent typhoon and ongoing trade negotiations with the US.
Sources informed the FT that this change occurred after Lai was denied the New York stopover. It remains uncertain whether the restriction pertained exclusively to New York or to US transit generally. Previously, several Western media outlets, including Bloomberg and Reuters, had reported on the planned trip and mentioned potential stopovers in the US.
On Tuesday, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry denied reports that Lai had been prevented from transiting through the US. The ministry stated that no request had been refused and reiterated that Lai had no immediate plans for overseas travel due to domestic and diplomatic priorities.
The reported denial of transit occurs amidst US-China trade negotiations. Shortly after returning to office in January, Trump escalated a trade war by imposing new tariffs and tightening export controls. China responded with retaliatory measures, although both sides recently agreed to pause further actions and set an August 12 deadline to reach a broader agreement.
Self-rule was established in Taiwan by nationalist forces following their defeat in the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Currently, only a small number of countries recognize the island’s sovereignty, with most of the international community adhering to Beijing’s One-China policy. Tensions between China and the US regarding Taiwan remain a significant point of contention. Beijing strongly opposes any official contact between Washington and Taipei, which continues to maintain relations through arms sales, trade, and diplomatic exchanges.