Taiwan's Vice President William Lai is heading to the United States today, Saturday, in a highly sensitive visit condemned by China and raising concerns among Taiwanese officials that it may lead to increased Chinese military activity around the democratically governed island. Taipei and Washington state that "such visits are routine and there is no reason for China to take provocative action," but Beijing has responded angrily, viewing it as another sign of U.S. support for Taiwan, which it considers Chinese territory.
Taiwanese officials indicate that "China will likely use Lai's stop in the United States as a pretext to begin military exercises next week, probably near Taiwan, to intimidate voters ahead of next year's elections, making them fearful of war." The U.S. State Department clarified to Reuters that "consistent with previous similar visits, Lai will meet with the head of the American Institute in Taiwan, based in Virginia," a nonprofit organization run by the U.S. government that manages unofficial relations with Taiwan.
Lai will first head to New York and wrote in English on the platform X, formerly Twitter, that he is "excited to meet American friends during the stop" and to go to Paraguay, one of only 13 countries that maintain official relations with Taipei. Neither Taipei nor Washington provided any specific details regarding Lai's agenda in the United States. Lai's official agenda for Sunday only indicates that he is heading to Paraguay. He is expected to speak to reporters at Taiwan's main international airport this afternoon before his departure and is anticipated to return from Paraguay via San Francisco.
Lai is the leading candidate for the presidency of Taiwan in the January elections and will only make a stop in the U.S. on his way to Paraguay for the inauguration of its president and also on his return journey.
