While in New York, Tsai attended a reception at Taiwan’s de facto consulate for a group of United Nations permanent representatives, most of them envoys from nations with which Taiwan still has diplomatic ties.

It was the first event of its kind in four decades and – also unusually – open to US media. Washington – which switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979 – previously prohibited Taiwan’s leaders from making public appearances during transits in the US.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen dismisses ‘irresponsible remarks’ on US arms sale

American authorities also allowed Tsai to brief journalists on her trip during her stopover in Denver. In the past, leaders from Taiwan have not been allowed to host press conferences or media receptions on US soil due to concerns from Beijing, which protested strongly against Washington’s high-profile transit treatment for Tsai.

Beijing considers Taiwan a wayward province that must return to the mainland fold, by force if necessary.

Arriving at Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport, Tsai said the two stopovers gave her ample chance to meet dignitaries from politics, academia, science and business.

“Some have called this an upgrade in our relationship, but I would say a deepening of ties was a more appropriate description,” she said.

Some Taiwanese news outlets and officials from Tsai’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party said the US treatment was a breakthrough in US-Taiwan relations.

“Tsai’s US stopover was almost like an official state visit during which she was treated with dignity accorded to state leaders,” DPP lawmaker Julian Kuo Jeng-liang said.

But analysts said there was no major change in the relationship, given that Tsai still could not visit Washington.

Yen Chen-sheng, a researcher at National Chengchi University’s Institute of International Relations, said the US remained cautious in its handling of Tsai amid concerns over a backlash from Beijing.

“No federal level officials were present during her visit,” he said.

Liao Da-chi, a professor of political science at National Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung, said Tsai’s visit showed that not much had altered in Taiwan’s ties with the US.

“In reality the main purpose of her Caribbean visit was to stop over in the US, but only when she is able to visit Washington or Capitol Hill in her capacity as president will it be politically significant,” Liao said.

She said US President Donald Trump continued to treat Taiwan as a pawn in the US’ trade war with China.

“Although the US has approved a series of Taiwan-friendly bills, it has not signed any official agreements with Taiwan, like Taiwan’s much-needed free trade pact. This indicates that Trump merely uses Taiwan to pressure China,” Liao said. “This won’t help Tsai in seeking re-election in January.”

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Tsai will compete for a second four-year term as president in January and would have a 45-40 lead over her opposition Kuomintang challenger Han Kuo-yu in a two-way race, according to a poll released by Taiwan Public Opinion Survey Foundation on Monday. But she would drop to second in the race if independent Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je decided to run, the foundation said.

Also on Monday, the Presidential Office said Tsai had ordered a thorough investigation into allegations by the New Power Party that some security officers on the president’s trip tried to smuggle 9,200 cartons of cigarettes – valued at NT$6 million (US$193,000) – into Taiwan.

Customs authorities confirmed that the items had been seized.

Tsai also accepted the resignation of Peng Sheng-chu, head of the National Security Bureau, who stepped down to take responsibility for the case, the Presidential Office said.