Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has canceled a planned US stopover en route to Latin America, a move that has raised concerns about US-China relations under President Donald Trump. Taipei cited domestic issues, including typhoon recovery and US-Taiwan tariff talks, as reasons for Lai’s decision to forgo stops in New York and Dallas, according to presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo. However, sources familiar with the matter suggest the Trump administration urged Taipei to avoid New York, possibly to appease Beijing amid Trump’s push for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The decision has sparked debate, with experts warning it hands Beijing a diplomatic win. Jason Hsu, a former Taiwanese legislator and Hudson Institute fellow, called the US stance “abnormal,” noting that such transits are routine under the Taiwan Relations Act. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce dismissed the issue as “hypothetical,” citing no confirmed travel plans. Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory and opposes US transits by Taiwanese leaders, has not commented but routinely protests such visits.

Zack Cooper of the American Enterprise Institute suggested the Trump administration may be using Taiwan as a bargaining chip with China. Democrats, including Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, criticized Trump for “caving to China” to secure a trade deal, arguing that past administrations of both parties allowed such transits. The cancellation comes as the US is legally obligated to support Taiwan militarily, amid heightened tensions with Beijing over the island’s status.

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