The US State Department has confirmed that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) will make transit stops in New York and Houston en route to Central and South America later this month.
The US State Department, which had previously shunned unambiguous language on the matter, related the news to Taiwan officials late Friday night. Chen will make a layover in New York from May 21 to 23 before flying to Latin America to cement ties with Taiwan's allies in the region.
On his way home, Chen will make a stopover in Houston, Texas, where he plans to visit a museum and a library. It remains unclear, however, if Chen will attend a baseball game there as hoped.
The treatment marks another sign of improvement in bilateral ties, as it is the first time that a leader from Taiwan has been given permission to set foot on US soil so close to its capital.
Former president Lee Teng-hui (
In addition to agreeing to the stopovers, Washington signaled that it will not discourage Chen from meeting US congressmen, saying such talks may "advance" US interests.
Chen plans to meet with a number of US congress members as well as overseas Taiwanese leaders while in Houston and New York. However, the president is not supposed to stage any public activities, such as news conferences, during the layovers that are pegged as "private and informal."
Richard Bush, chairman of the Washington-based American Institute in Taiwan, is expected to meet with Chen in New York.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, the Presidential Office remained mum on Chen's itinerary for his two-day stay in New York, saying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working on it.
Guo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪), a presidential press aide, said she was not sure which US Congress members will meet with Chen but said she believed such meetings will lead to better mutual understanding.
Guo said Chen will maintain a low profile and stay at a different hotel from the one housing the Taiwan press corps. She expressed gratitude to the US government and the American people for their help in making Chen's trip to Central and South America easier and more comfortable.
Chen made a stopover in Los Angeles during a trip last August to Latin America during which Washington, under pressure from Beijing, prevented him from meeting US congress members. The restrictions led to vociferous protests by Taiwanese groups in the US.
This will be Chen's second journey abroad since he took office as president last May. The tour will take Chen to El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay and Honduras. One of the major events on Chen's itinerary is attending a summit meeting between the senior leaders of Taiwan and its Central American allies, scheduled to open in El Salvador May 25.
The heads of state will exchange views on the integration of Central American countries and major regional development programs.
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