WASHINGTON: Two senior members of Taiwan’s government are in the United States to meet people connected to President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, five sources told Reuters, in an effort by Taiwan to establish ties with the incoming administration.
Lin Fei-fan and Hsu Szu-chien, both deputy secretaries-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council and several of their staff have traveled to the Washington area for meetings through this week, the sources said on condition of anonymity.
Reuters was not able to confirm who from the US side would join the meetings or the agenda.
Taiwan’s presidential office said the national security team’s visit and “exchanges” were a routine part of their work, and that it had no further comment.
The Trump transition team did not respond to requests for comment.
The visit by Lin and Hsu comes as China’s military has stepped up activity near the Taiwan Strait, in what Taiwan has said is Beijing’s effort to set a “red line” for the incoming Trump administration and US allies.
One of the sources said the meetings were with individuals in Trump transition circles but would not include nominees for top positions in Trump’s next administration, given sensitivity in Beijing over any talks between Taiwanese and US officials.
The meetings are with “Republicans likely to populate mid-tier political positions” in the Trump administration, a second source said.
A third source said it was “safe to say” Lin and Hsu were meeting the Trump transition team.
A fourth source added that visits to the United States at such a level are not rare and that they are to meet “old friends”, including people in Trump’s circle.
Asked about the visits, China’s foreign ministry said it urged the United States to “cautiously handle the Taiwan issue, and not send any wrong signals to Taiwan independence separatist forces”.
The United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a democratically governed island that China claims as its own territory. Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future.
HOPE AND WORRY IN TAIWAN
Trump’s electoral win in November has sparked hope in Taipei that he will pursue a tough line with China but also anxiety given his comments that the island should pay the US for its defense.
Trump has named numerous China hawks to key posts in his incoming administration, including Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state, who has called for unfettered interaction between US and Taiwan officials.
