Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has canceled a planned diplomatic visit to Central America in August after the United States government denied a proposed stopover in New York.
According to the Financial Times, the Biden administration’s move was aimed at preserving fragile trade negotiations currently underway between Washington and Beijing. The decision reflects the balancing act the U.S. must maintain under the Taiwan Relations Act and the One China Policy, which formally recognizes Taiwan as part of China and limits official ties between Washington and Taipei.
The Trump administration, generally perceived as more confrontational toward China, has surprised some observers with this apparent gesture of restraint. Denying President Lai a brief U.S. transit marks a significant departure from previous precedent, especially under former President Joe Biden, whose administration allowed several stopovers by high-level Taiwanese officials.
In August 2022, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a controversial visit to Taiwan, prompting strong condemnation from Beijing. In November 2024, President Lai was permitted to stop in Hawaii during a tour of Pacific island nations that continue to recognize Taiwan diplomatically. During that visit, Lai paid tribute at the USS Arizona Memorial, met members of the Taiwanese-American community, and held talks with the U.S. State Department-affiliated East-West Center. He also spoke by phone with senior American politicians, including Pelosi.
Lai also stopped in Guam, a U.S. territory, during that trip—another move that drew backlash from the Chinese government.
Former President Tsai Ing-wen previously made stopovers in both New York and Los Angeles during a trip to Central America in April 2023, where she met in person with then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. That encounter marked the first time a Taiwanese leader held face-to-face discussions with a sitting American political leader on U.S. soil—further straining U.S.-China relations.
The latest decision by the Trump administration to block Lai’s stopover suggests a more cautious approach, as Washington seeks to avoid undermining progress in sensitive economic negotiations with Beijing.