Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s US stopover set to irk China

Speaking to reporters before her departure, Tsai said the visits to Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador would “show the international society that Taiwan is a capable and responsible partner for cooperation.”

She transited through Houston, a stop that will irk Beijing, which has urged Washington to prevent Tsai from landing in the United States to “refrain from sending any wrong signal to the Taiwanese independence forces.”

Beijing officials complained after Trump last month breached diplomatic protocol by speaking by phone with the Taiwanese leader. Trump raised further concerns in Beijing when he questioned a U.S. policy that since 1979 has recognized Beijing as China’s government and maintains only unofficial relations with Taiwan.

U.S. lawmakers often meet with Taiwanese presidents when they transit through the United States — most recently in June, when Tsai met in Miami with Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.