The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday criticized a local media report that compared former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s visit to Taiwan to “a political protection racket.”
The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday said that Pompeo had financial reasons for visiting the nation, alleging potential financial gain from retirement benefits, investments and business travel expenses linked to Anarock Global Partners.
The ministry in a statement called the story “malicious speculation made with the aim of shifting public focus from the true meaning of the visit and disparaging a true friend of Taiwan.”
Photo: CNA
Pompeo’s contributions to the development of Taiwan-US ties during his tenure as US secretary of state is a matter of public record and the two nations’ friendship has been deepened thanks to his visit, the ministry said.
The delegation did not include any member of the company referred to in the report and no private investment was discussed during the visit, it said.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) also condemned the report.
“It is not proper to spread mean-spirited rumors about a guest,” Su said.
Pompeo arrived in Taipei on Wednesday evening for a four-day stay, his first to Taiwan.
Additional reporting by Wu Su-wei
This story has been corrected since it was first published.
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