The Presidential Office has announced that a delegation led by Vice President William Lai will travel to Honduras to attend the inauguration of President-elect Xiomara Castro on Jan. 27. Disease prevention measures will be strictly followed during the six-day, five-night trip.
The inauguration of Honduran President-elect Xiomara Castro will take place on Jan. 27. The Presidential Office has announced that a delegation led by Vice President William Lai will travel to the diplomatic ally to attend the inauguration. This will be Lai's first official trip since taking office. Other people in the 26-member delegation are Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi, Vice Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Yui, and Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim. The deputy superintendent of Taoyuan General Hospital will accompany the delegation to oversee disease prevention measures. President Tsai Ing-wen has given Lai and the others three missions to accomplish.
Xavier Chang, Spokesperson, Presidential Office: “This special diplomatic mission will also represent Taiwan walking into the world. President Tsai not only hopes that the two countries will be able to continue assisting each other and jointly promote development in the future, but also expects that countries such as Taiwan and Honduras with similar ideologies will continue to collaborate to make significant contributions to all types of issues that are important to the world.”
The Presidential Office stressed that the delegation will follow the three disease prevention measures of taking chartered flights, testing, and quarantining. Lai will isolate at his Tainan residence for 14 days after returning. This trip is six days and five nights long. The delegation will depart on Jan. 25, arrive in Honduras on Jan. 27 to attend the inauguration, and return to Taiwan on Jan. 30. It remains unknown whether a transit stop will be made in the US.
Alexander Yui, Vice Foreign Affairs Minister: “With regards to transit arrangements, we are currently negotiating related and relevant administration and details with the government of the transit point. ”
The Presidential Office has not disclosed any information about where the transit point will be, and there are rumors that it will be Los Angeles and overseas compatriots in the city are discussing whether to organize a banquet. The US has announced that Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the inauguration, and Taiwan is hoping that Lai will get a chance to meet her.
友邦宏都拉斯新任總統卡斯楚將於27日舉行就職典禮，總統府宣布由副總統賴清德擔任特使前往祝賀，這也是賴清德上任後首度出訪。訪團成員包含總統府秘書長李俊俋、外交部次長俞大㵢及駐美代表蕭美琴等26人，並由衛福部立桃園醫院副院長擔任隨行醫療防疫工作，總統蔡英文也期許賴清德和特使團完成3個深化任務。
總統府發言人張惇涵表示:「這一次的特使團也是代表台灣走向世界，蔡總統不只期待未來兩國在國際上能夠繼續相互扶持、共同促進發展，也期待我國與宏都拉斯等理念相近的國家持續攜手努力，對各項全球議題作出重要的貢獻。」
總統府也強調特使團將採取「專、篩、隔」3原則，嚴格落實防疫，全程搭專機，賴清德返台後將回台南寓所進行14天隔離。此趟行程共計6天5夜，將在25日上午出發、27日抵達宏都拉斯參加典禮，並於30日晚間返台，途中過境處是否為美國也引起關注。
外交部次長俞大㵢說明:「有關過境的安排，我們在有關相關的行政跟細節，正在跟過境點的政府在磋商中。」
過境地點傳出將會是美國洛杉磯，當地僑胞也在討論是否將有僑宴，不過總統府尚未證實。此外，美國總統拜登宣布由副總統賀錦麗出席宏國就職典禮，賴清德將可望與賀錦麗有同台機會。
