Tsai to embark on 10-day state visit to Guatemala and Belize on March 29

2023-03-21

Taiwan has confirmed that President Tsai Ing-wen will make a 10-day state visit to Central America, starting next Wednesday. Tsai will tour Guatemala and Belize, but will not stop in Honduras. She will also make two transit stops in the U.S. Previously the Financial Times reported that Tsai would be meeting U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles. On Tuesday, Taiwan officials declined to confirm the meeting, saying that discussions with the U.S. were still ongoing.

President Tsai refuses to engage with a question about her state trip. But on Tuesday, the Presidential Office finally confirmed rumors of a Central American tour.

Lin Yu-chan
Presidential Office spokesperson
Tsai is scheduled to depart on March 29, and arrive in the U.S., in New York, that same day. She will then fly on to Guatemala and Belize. On her return she will have a stopover in the U.S. again, in Los Angeles.

The 10-day itinerary completely overlaps with Ma’s trip to China, which starts two days before Tsai’s. Both Tsai and Ma will return to Taiwan on April 7. Observers wonder if the two are competing for media attention.

Chang Tun-han
Presidential Office
Former President Ma is visiting China to worship his ancestors, and our head of state is touring our diplomatic allies. The nature of the visits is different. Letting Taiwan interact with the world directly and present itself to the world in the name of freedom and democracy is President Tsai’s long-standing position.

On previous state visits, Tsai met with media representatives within Taiwan’s allied nations. But this time around, a media event is to be held in the U.S. instead. The full itinerary released by the Presidential Office is as follows: Tsai will set off on March 29 and transit in New York. She’ll then travel to Guatemala on April 1. There, she’ll sit with President Alejandro Giammattei and visit the Mayan ruins at Tikal National Park. She will also preside over an equipment donation ceremony for a hospital built in cooperation with Taiwan. On April 3, Tsai will head to Belize. There, she’ll meet top government officials, give a speech at the National Assembly and inspect projects launched in collaboration with Taiwan. Tsai will then head back to Taiwan, making a second U.S. transit on April 5. The itinerary does not include a stop in Taiwan’s third Central American ally, Honduras, which recently announced plans to cut ties with Taiwan.

Alexander Yui
Vice foreign minister
We have not yet reached a consensus with Honduras, so we decided that this is not a good time for the president to visit the country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not confirm or deny reports about a potential meeting between Tsai and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. It also remained mum on whether Tsai would deliver a public address in the U.S.

總統3/29啟程訪中美兩友邦過境紐約.洛杉磯

2023-03-21

總統蔡英文確定出訪，時間就在下週三。總統啟動為期十天九夜的民主夥伴共榮之旅，前往友邦瓜地馬拉和貝里斯訪問，並且過境美國紐約及洛杉磯。不過對於是否和眾議院議長麥卡錫見面、以及在美國演講等相關行程，外交部仍不願證實，只說仍在跟美方安排，一旦確認會向各界報告。

雖然總統被問到出訪話題，總是低調不答，但傳了好久的出訪友邦過境美國計畫，總統府終於證實了。

[[總統府發言人林聿禪]]
“此行將於3月29日啟程，同日抵達美國紐約過境，再依序前往瓜地馬拉及貝里斯，返程將在美國洛杉磯過境。”

蔡總統十天九夜的行程，與搶先一天宣布訪中的馬英九全程重疊，一樣4月7日返國，馬英九早兩天出發，引發拚場的解讀。

[[總統府副祕張惇涵]]
“馬前總統赴中國祭祖，跟國家元首出訪友邦本質上並不相同，還是要再強調，讓台灣在民主自由的道路上，直接地與世界接軌、前進世界，這是蔡總統一貫的立場。”

而過去都在友邦舉行的媒體茶敘，預料也將首度搬到美國進行。根據府方公布的行程，蔡總統將在3月29日啟程，先前往美國紐約過境，4月1日抵達友邦瓜地馬拉，會晤賈麥岱總統、前往蒂卡爾國家公園參訪馬雅古文明，也出席台灣協助興建的醫院贈交。4月3日轉往貝里斯，除了政要會面、也將前往貝里斯國會演說，視察輔導合作計畫。預計4月5日返程過境洛杉磯。中美洲三友邦，獨獨漏掉邦交拉警報的宏都拉斯。

[[外交部次長俞大㵢]]
“因為我們到現在過程中還沒有得到共識，所以我們當時認為，這個時候不適合讓總統去宏都拉斯訪問。”

至於是否和眾議院議長麥卡錫見面、以及在美國演講等相關行程，外交部仍不願證實。