AIT Chair greets President Tsai on transit stop in Houston /蔡總統過境休士頓 AIT主席接機.美高規格維安　　　　　　　　　　

On Jan. 7 President Tsai Ing-wen took off to visit Dominica and the four Central American allies. She arrived at 11 pm local time for a transit stop in Houston. The Chair of the US representative body in Taiwan, James Moriarty of the American Institute in Taiwan came specially to greet her on arrival. This is the second time since coming to office that President Tsai Ing-wen has made a visit to the four central American allies. Coming after Sao Tome and Principe broke off relations and with rumors of unstable relations with other allies, President Tsai said that this trip was to consolidate diplomatic relations. ==TSAI ING-WEN ROC President== As soon as we set foot on the plane we are a team and we represent the 23 million people of Taiwan, working hard for our diplomatic relations. The first stop for Tsai's flight was Houston, USA. The AIT Chair James Moriarty specially welcomed the plane. ==TSAI ING-WEN ROC President and JAMES MORIARTY AIT Chair== Madam President thank you very much Its really cold outside Many local overseas compatriots came to welcome Tsai at her transit hotel, expressing their support. Tsai left the hotel at 2:30 in the afternoon and was low key in her response to media asking if she would meet with President-elect Donald Trump. Trump's office said that it no plans to meet with President Tsai during her transit stop. At around 3 pm local time Tsai went to visit the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She was accompanied by around 10 police vehicles. Although there are no official diplomatic relations between the US and Taiwan, Tsai was accorded high level protection. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 總統蔡英文任內第二次出訪，前往中美洲四個友邦訪問，尤其在聖多美普林西比與我國斷交後，其他友邦陸續傳出外交危機，蔡英文在飛機上致詞表示此行就是要拼外交。 ==總統 蔡英文== 當我們踏上飛機的這一刻 我們就是一個團隊 我們代表2300萬的台灣 我們的國民 我們一起來為這個外交來努力 專機第一站過境美國休士頓，美國在台協會理事主席莫健特別上機迎接。 ==總統 蔡英文vs美國在台協會理事主席 莫健== 總統女士 非常謝謝 外面冷嗎 冷 另外不少當地僑胞也特別前到蔡英文過境住宿的飯店，表達對蔡英文的支持。蔡英文也在當地時間下午二點半左右離開飯店參訪，面對媒體提問，是否會和川普團隊成員見面，蔡英文很低調不願多說。 不過川普辦公室表示蔡英文過境美國期間，川普交接團隊沒有和蔡英文會面的規劃。蔡英文也在當地下午將近三點左右前往德州大學安德森癌症中心參訪，十多輛警用機車前導戒護，雖然台美沒有邦交，不過美國政府還是以高規格保護蔡英文的安全。 記者 張志雄 林志堅 美國休士頓報導