Taipei has denied claims in Western media that Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te had planned to visit Latin America and the United States, but Washington opposed the visit and it was canceled.
According to the island's government spokesman, Guo Yahui, “in view of the ongoing reconstruction efforts in southern Taiwan after the recent typhoon and regional developments“, Lai “currently does not plan any overseas visits“.
Guo Yahui noted that “once the program“ of the overseas visit is finally approved, “the department will notify the media“.
Earlier, several foreign media outlets, citing their own sources, sources said Lai Ching-te was scheduled to visit the United States next week as part of his visits to Paraguay, Guatemala and Belize. The trip was reportedly canceled or postponed after Taiwan was denied approval for the visit to the United States, as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump feared it could disrupt trade talks with China.
Commenting on the reports, another representative of the island's chief executive, Li Wen, said the claims were speculation. It was "pure speculation based on false information," the Taipei Times quoted Li Wen as saying.