Taiwan says ‘staunch friend’ Mike Pompeo will visit the island

Former US secretary of state will meet Taiwanese president, business and academic leaders during a trip that’s likely to rile Beijing

A vocal supporter of Taiwan, its foreign ministry says he made ‘outstanding contributions’ to relations when he was in office

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Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo speaks at a conference in Jerusalem in October. There has been speculation he is considering a 2024 presidential run. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 8:30pm, 21 Feb 2022

Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, a vocal supporter of Taiwan, will visit the self-ruled island next week in a trip that is certain to rile Beijing.

Pompeo and his wife are due to arrive in Taiwan on March 2, and meetings are planned with government, business and academic leaders during the four-day trip, the Taiwanese foreign ministry said on Monday.

He is expected to meet President Tsai Ing-wen, attend a banquet hosted by Vice-President William Lai Ching-te, and visit legislative speaker Yu Shyi-kun and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, according to the ministry statement.

Pompeo will also give a speech at the Prospect Foundation, a government-funded think tank.

“Former secretary of state Pompeo is a long-time and staunch friend of Taiwan who made outstanding contributions to promoting Taiwan-US relations during his time in office,” the ministry said.

It added that the visit showed the “rock solid” bipartisan US support for Taiwan and the close US-Taiwan friendship.