A Taiwanese-American businesswoman and her commercial ties to US president-elect Donald Trump have been thrust into the spotlight since he broke with almost four decades of Taiwan policy by taking a congratulatory telephone call from President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
The scrutiny of Charlyne Chen (陳思庭) has centered on a September meeting to discuss projects in Taoyuan and if she was there representing the Trump Organization. While initially little noticed, interest in that meeting has intensified after Trump’s election victory and a public announcement that he spoke on Friday with Tsai, prompting a diplomatic protest from China.
In a brief telephone conversation on Monday with Bloomberg News, Chen said that while she was not a Trump employee, she had had interactions with his organization.
Speaking on Nov. 24 with local broadcaster Formosa Television, Chen said she had helped sell properties at a Trump Organization development in Las Vegas to buyers in Taiwan and Shanghai.
Trump Organization spokeswoman Amanda Miller said the company had no plan for expansion in Taiwan and that there had been no authorized visits to push development projects there.
No US president or president-elect has disclosed conversations with a leader of Taiwan since Washington broke ties with Taipei to recognize Beijing in 1979.
Trump’s decision to break from that policy comes ahead of Friday next week’s briefing he is scheduled to address concerns on how he will avoid conflicts with his business interests as president.
At the September meeting Chen attended with the mayor of Taoyuan, local officials provided her with information about the Taoyuan Aerotropolis Project, a mixed-use site of residential, commercial and transportation developments currently being reviewed by the government.
In a statement issued Nov. 17 in response to local media reports, the city said Chen at the meeting presented a document from the Trump Organization outlining her business ties with the company.
Chen showed a copy of a letter during an appearance on Formosa Television last month. It was an undated welcome letter to Trump International Hotel Las Vegas visitors from Taiwan.
The letter refers to Chen as a “sales ambassador,” with whom potential investors could meet regarding the “ownership opportunities” they were being offered.
When speaking by phone Monday, Chen denied she was using links to the Trump Organization for personal benefit.
She said she had hosted a dinner for Trump supporters in Taipei ahead of the Nov. 8 election.
“I didn’t come out and support him after he got elected, I actually held a dinner for him before that,” Chen said.
That dinner for about 50 guests took place on Nov. 1, according to Sanlih E-Television.
Chen told attendees that Trump was interested in building a tower in Taiwan, the broadcaster reported.
At a daily briefing on Monday in Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said progress made in US-Chinese relationship “could be undermined by this issue flaring up,” referring to Trump’s conversation with Tsai.
“It’s a sensitive matter,” Earnest said. “Whenever you are talking about the president-elect of the United States interacting with foreign leaders, it’s incredibly important” and has a “profound impact.”
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