Taiwan’s top mainland China policymaker delays US trip due to ‘important domestic affairs’
- Another event co-organised with the Centre for a New American Security will take place as scheduled
- Visit will be happening amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington over Taiwan
A trip to the United States by the head of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council has been delayed due to “important domestic affairs” he has to handle, his office said, but gave no details.
The council said Chiu Tai-san’s Brookings Institution think tank event next Tuesday would be postponed, but an event the next day it had co-organised with the Centre for a New American Security would take place as scheduled.
Chiu’s visit will be happening amid heightened tensions with mainland China, which has been staging war games and military exercises near Taiwan since the start of August in response to the Taipei visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The council, Taipei’s top body on mainland policy, said Chiu was also due to meet US officials during the trip.
Mainland China and Taiwan split in 1949 at the end of a civil war when the Kuomintang was defeated by Communist Party forces and fled to Taipei.