Stress test for China-US superpower relations: Taiwanese president makes “transit visits” to New York and Los Angeles.
When Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen boarded the government plane on Wednesday, her Foreign Minister Joseph Wu posted a smartphone selfie shortly before departure. The transparent and popular behavior of the two main politicians is so incredible because the democratic island state always holds up a mirror to its authoritarian neighbor China: it would be almost unthinkable that the head of state Xi Jinping would allow himself to be carried away by such relaxed theatrics.
But Tsai and Wu’s 10-day trip to America has a serious background: After Honduras recently switched diplomatic sides, there are only 13 countries that officially recognize Taiwan — not China. Tsai will visit two of the last allies: Guatemala and Belize.