Vice President William Lai (賴清德) on Thursday spoke briefly with US Vice President Kamala Harris in their first public meeting, at the inauguration of Honduran President Xiomara Castro.
As the last government envoy introduced at the packed sports stadium where the ceremony was held, Harris greeted the international leaders present, including Lai, who was sitting in the front row near Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado Quesada and King Felipe VI of Spain.
Lai and Harris spoke briefly, the first time the vice presidents have interacted at a public event since taking office in 2020 and last year respectively.
Photo: CNA
Commenting on their impromptu conversation, which the international media characterized as “highly symbolic,” Harris told reporters after the inauguration that she and Lai talked about “a common interest in this part of the region.”
Their conversation also touched on “Taiwan’s interest in our root causes strategy,” Harris said, referring to the US’ efforts to curb migration.
Reuters described the encounter as “likely to add to Beijing’s tensions with Washington.”
Photo: AFP / Honduran presidency
Speaking at a news conference with Taiwanese reporters, Lai declined to reveal what he and Harris discussed, saying only that he thanked the US vice president for her country’s support of Taiwan.
Lai also posted a photograph on Facebook of him among a group of people including King Felipe.
Lai is leading a delegation to Honduras to attend Castro’s inauguration and meet with officials from its new government.
He was yesterday to return home via San Francisco.
The Presidential Office said that Lai invited Castro to visit Taiwan during a bilateral meeting held after she was sworn in.
During the meeting, Lai extended the invitation to Castro on behalf of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), and expressed Taiwan’s continued support for the Honduran government as it pushes for economic reform and fights against corruption, the office said.
As Tsai and Castro are the first female presidents of their respective countries, their meeting would be a testament to global efforts to promote women’s empowerment, the office quoted Lai as saying.
Lai also proposed that Taiwan, Honduras and the US collaborate on “helping Honduras solve various problems,” the office said, without providing specifics.
Additional reporting by Reuters
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
TAIWAN IS TAIWAN: US Representative Tom Tiffany said the amendment was not controversial, as ‘Taiwan is not — nor has it ever been — part of Communist China’ The US House of Representatives on Friday passed an amendment banning the US Department of Defense from creating, buying or displaying any map that shows Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The “Honest Maps” amendment was approved in a voice vote on Friday as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 fiscal year. The amendment prohibits using any funds from the act to create, buy or display maps that show Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuciou (烏坵), Green Island (綠島) or Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) as part of the PRC. The act includes US$831.5 billion in