Tsai's U.S. transit consistent with bilateral ties: U.S. official

ROC Central News Agency

2017/10/28 15:49:43

Washington, Oct. 27 (CNA) The U.S. Department of State said Friday that President Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) transit through the U.S. on her visit to Taiwanese diplomatic allies in the Pacific is consistent with the unofficial nature of U.S.-Taiwan relations.

Grace Choi, a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, was commenting on Beijing's objections about Tsai's layovers in Hawaii and Guam, saying that there has been no change to Washington's one-China policy.

"These transits are undertaken out of consideration for the safety, comfort, convenience and dignity of the traveler," Choi said, noting that it is a long-standing U.S. practice to let officials from Taiwan transit through the U.S.

Tsai departed Saturday on a visit to three Pacific island allies -- Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. She will make a layover in Hawaii before arriving at her first destination, and will make a transit stop on the U.S. territory of Guam on her return.

(By Rita Cheng and Kuan-lin Liu)
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