Tsai's Stopover in US Conforms With One-China Policy: US 蔡出訪過境美 美國務院:過境符一中政策

President Tsai Ing-wen will embark on a 10-day trip to diplomatic allies Guatemala and Belize on March 29 in which she will stop in the U.S. on the way.  

Nodding in acknowledgment, President Tsai Ing-wen received Japan's Overseas Chinese Association and recognized its hard work in fostering diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Japan. Nevertheless, due to Honduras' newly-formed diplomatic relations with Beijing, the U.S. State Department has declined to comment on Beijing's intentions but merely reiterated that this is Honduras' sovereign decision. Furthermore, it emphasized that President Tsai's stopover in the U.S. conforms with the nation's longstanding "One-China" policy.

Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson, US State Department: “This is ultimately a sovereign decision that the U.S. will continue to expand our engagement with Taiwan in line with our longstanding "One-China" policy.”

Liu Yong-jien, Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “We suspect that the timing of the severing of Taiwan-Honduras diplomatic relations is manipulated by China on purpose. Any diplomatic visit by the President is the fundamental right of a sovereign nation and will not tolerate judgment by any other nation or the same exerting pressure to sabotage. ”

Patel reminded the public that China often made promises in exchange for diplomatic recognition yet failed to deliver. As to the Honduran students in Taiwan, China said that they are ready to receive every one of them if they wish to go to China to study, which will become their new home.

Mao Ning, Spokesperson, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “China is very concerned about the Honduran students currently studying in Taiwan. If they have the intention to switch to study in China, China will gladly receive them all and become their warm new home. ”

Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted that Honduran students' scholarships would last until the end of the current term. MOFA will also provide return flight tickets to minimize the impact of severed diplomatic relations on Honduran students.

點頭致意，總統蔡英文接見日本華僑總會，肯定日本僑界是台日外交的重要推手；不過近日宏都拉斯外交轉向北京，與我斷交，美國國務院不願多談此舉是否為打壓蔡總統出訪，僅重申這是宏都拉斯的主權決定；強調蔡總統過境符合美國長期的一個中國政策。

美國國務院首席副發言人巴特爾表示：「這最終是一個宏都拉斯的主權決定，美國將根據我們長期以來的一中政策，繼續拓展與台灣的接觸往來。」

外交部發言人劉永健提及：「我們懷疑台宏斷交的時間是對岸有意操作，總統出訪從事外交活動是主權國家的一個基本的權利，不容任何國家指點、論斷，也不接受任何國家的施壓與破壞。」

巴特爾也提醒外界，中共經常為換取外交承認而做出承諾卻未兌現。中國則積極向在台灣留學的宏國學生招手，聲稱只要有意轉到中國學習，中方願意全部接收，成為他們溫暖的新家。

中國外交部發言人毛寧說道：「中方十分關心宏都拉斯在台灣的留學生，只要他們有意轉到大陸學習中方願意全部接收，大陸將成為他們溫暖的新家。」

我外交部則表示，為彰顯重視人權以及人道考量，宏國與我國斷交之後，台灣獎學金仍會提供到這個學期結束，也會提供學生單程的回國機票，盡可能地減少對宏國學生的衝擊。