April 4, 2023
Taiwan Presidents’ U.S. Transit Visits
Introduction

peoples of the Western Pacific area.” The U.S. government
Since 1994, four sitting presidents of Taiwan have
presents TRA and the communiqués, plus six assurances
undertaken a combined 29 trips abroad that have included
conveyed to Taiwan in 1982, as the documents that guide
transit stops in the United States. Since 1995, the U.S.
the U.S. one-China policy. (See CRS In Focus IF11665,
government has not permitted Taiwan presidents to make
President Reagan’s Six Assurances to Taiwan.)
non-transit visits to the United States, but has allowed U.S.
transit visits. It presents this policy as consistent with the
1994 Taiwan Policy Review
unofficial nature of U.S.-Taiwan relations. (See also CRS
For the first 15 years after terminating diplomatic relations
In Focus IF10275, Taiwan: Political and Security Issues.)
with Taiwan, the U.S. executive branch interpreted
unofficial relations as precluding visits of any sort by
Stakeholders in the U.S. government, Taiwan, and the
Taiwan presidents. In May 1994, however, the Clinton
People’s Republic of China (PRC) see Taiwan presidents’
Administration for the first time permitted a Taiwan
U.S. transit visits differently. The U.S. executive branch has
president to transit through the United States, allowing
stated that it regards transits as private and unofficial and
Taiwan’s then-President Lee Teng-hui to stop to refuel his
consistent with the U.S. one-China policy. Some Members
plane in Hawaii on his way to Central America, but not to
of Congress have criticized the protocol surrounding
spend the night. Lee, apparently feeling insulted, declined
Taiwan presidents’ transit visits as excessively restrictive.
to leave the plane. Some Members of Congress saw the
Partly in response to such criticism, the executive branch
Administration’s treatment of Lee as insufficiently
has gradually loosened such protocol restrictions.
respectful. At a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee immediately after the transit, then-Senator
Taiwan governments have sought opportunities for transit
Frank H. Murkowski observed that the U.S. government
visits, portraying U.S. permission for such stops as
allowed figures such as Palestinian Liberation Organization
affirmation of U.S. support, despite the absence of
Chairman Yasser Arafat and Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader,
diplomatic relations with the United States. The
the 14th Dalai Lama, to visit the United States. The
government of the PRC, which claims sovereignty over
American public might not understand, Murkowski
Taiwan, has long criticized Taiwan presidents’ U.S. transit
suggested, “why our friends such as the Taiwanese are kept
visits as inconsistent with U.S. commitments to maintain
so far out and others without formal diplomatic relations
only unofficial relations with Taiwan, and charged that they
with the United States can come to Washington.”
undermine PRC “sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
In September 1994, the Clinton Administration completed a
Evolution of U.S. Policy on Transits
review of U.S. Taiwan policy. The Administration
dispatched Under Secretary of State Peter Tarnoff to China
Unofficial Relations
to relay the results to the PRC leadership. Subsequently-
U.S.-Taiwan relations have been unofficial since January 1,
declassified talking points show Tarnoff was instructed to
1979, when the United States established diplomatic
say that the Administration would now “[p]ermit normal
relations with the PRC and terminated diplomatic relations
transits of the U.S., but no visits or public activities, for
with self-ruled Taiwan, which officially calls itself the
Taiwan’s top leadership,” while continuing to “[f]orbid
Republic of China (ROC). In three joint communiqués
visits, as opposed to transits, by Taiwan’s top leadership.”
concluded with the PRC in 1972, 1978, and 1982, the
On September 27, 1994, Assistant Secretary of State for
United States “acknowledged,” but did not endorse, “the
East Asian and Pacific Affairs Winston Lord presented the
Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is
outcome of the Taiwan Policy Review to Congress. He
part of China.” In the 1978 communiqué, the United States
stated that President Bill Clinton “has decided to enhance
also stated that, “the people of the United States will
our unofficial ties with Taiwan.” Under questioning from
maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations
Senators, one of whom expressed “dismay” over the
with the people of Taiwan.” The PRC views the
conditions of President Lee’s transit, Lord said “under our
communiqués as the basis for U.S.-China relations.
new policy, we will permit overnight visits. We will permit
anything consistent with security and comfort and
The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA, P.L. 96-8; 22 U.S.C.
convenience so long as it’s a transit visit.” Lord added that
§3301 et seq.) provides the legal basis for unofficial U.S.
“the Administration strongly opposes congressional
relations with Taiwan. It includes a statement that it is U.S.
attempts to legislate visits by top leaders of the ‘Republic of
policy “to preserve and promote extensive, close, and
China’ to the U.S.” The next month, Congress passed the
friendly commercial, cultural, and other relations between
Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of
the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan,
1994 (P.L. 103-416). Section 221 of the act states that
as well as the people on the China mainland and all other
whenever Taiwan presidents or high-level Taiwan officials
https://crsreports.congress.gov

link to page 2 Taiwan Presidents’ U.S. Transit Visits
apply for visas to visit the United States for discussions
2023 House Speaker Meeting
with federal or state officials, they “shall be admitted.”
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has made seven overseas
trips with transit stops in the United States since 2016. (See
Taiwan President’s 1995 Private U.S. Visit
Table 1.) Her March-April 2023 trip to Guatemala and
In 1995, President Lee sought to make a private visit to his
Belize includes stops in New York and Los Angeles. House
alma mater, Cornell University. The Clinton Administration
Speaker Kevin McCarthy has announced plans to host a
initially denied the request and assured the PRC that no
bipartisan meeting with Tsai at the Ronald Reagan
such visit would take place. President Clinton pivoted to
Presidential Library in California on April 5, 2023. He
approving the visit after Congress passed H.Con.Res. 53
would be the highest-ranking U.S. official to meet with a
(104th Congress) “Expressing the sense of the Congress
Taiwan president on U.S. soil. Tsai spoke by phone with
regarding a private visit by President Lee Teng-hui of the
then-Speaker Paul Ryan on a 2016 Los Angeles transit.
Republic of China on Taiwan to the United States.” (The
vote was 396-0 in the House, and 97-1 in the Senate.) Lee
A PRC Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated on April 3,
visited Cornell in June 1995 and addressed his fellow
2023 that China “strongly oppose[s] any form of official
alumni. In response, the PRC carried out missile launches,
interaction and contact between the U.S. side and Taiwan
live-fire exercises, a naval exercise, and an amphibious
authorities.” She suggested that a meeting between the
landing exercise over several months in 1995. In March
Speaker and President Tsai would undermine “peace and
1996, the PRC undertook more missile launches and a joint
stability in the Taiwan Strait” and warned, “China will take
amphibious landing exercise in an apparent attempt to drive
resolute measures to safeguard its sovereignty and
down support for Lee ahead of Taiwan’s first direct
territorial integrity.” On March 29, a State Department
presidential election, which Lee won. The United States
spokesperson portrayed Tsai’s transits as “consistent with
responded by dispatching two aircraft carrier battle groups
longstanding U.S. practice, consistent with the unofficial
to the area. The events are now known as the third Taiwan
nature of our relations with Taiwan, and consistent with the
Strait Crisis, following earlier crises in 1954 and 1958.
U.S. ‘one China’ policy, which remains unchanged.”
Transits Since 1994
Table 1. President Tsai’s U.S. Transit Visits
President Lee’s 1995 visit to Cornell remains the sole non-
transit visit to the United States by a Taiwan president.
Diplomatic
U.S.
Select Activities
Since Lee’s1994 transit stop, Taiwan presidents have
Dates
Partners
Places
frequently transited through the United States on visits to
in U.S.
Visited
Transited
and from the dwindling number of countries that maintain
3/29-31,
Guatemala
New York,
Accepted Hudson
diplomatic relations with Taiwan. (Seven of Taiwan’s
4/5-6,
and Belize
Los
Institute award in
remaining 13 diplomatic partners are in Latin America and
2023
Angeles
New York.
the Caribbean. Four are in the Pacific and one, the Holy
See, is in Europe.)
7/11-13,
Haiti, Saint
New York,
Columbia
7/19-21,
Kitts and
Denver
University speech.
The main office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT),
2019
Nevis, Saint
Met Colorado
the ostensibly private entity through which the United
Vincent and
Governor.
States conducts unofficial relations with Taiwan, issues
Grenadines,
visas for Taiwan presidents and their delegations transiting
St. Lucia
through the United States. AIT’s Washington headquarters
3/26-27,
Palau,
Honolulu
Videoconference
processes their requests for port courtesies, including
2019
Nauru,
address to D.C.-
expedited processing and clearance at U.S. ports of entry
Marshall
based Heritage
and security arrangements. U.S. government practice is not
Islands
Foundation
to make executive branch officials available for meetings
with transiting Taiwan presidents. Members of Congress
8/12-13,
Paraguay,
Los
Visited NASA’s
and state and local officials often do meet with Taiwan
8/18-19,
Belize
Angeles,
Johnson Space
presidents on U.S. transit stops. Transiting Taiwan
2018
Houston
Center in Houston.
presidents also commonly attend banquets with Taiwan
10/28-
The Marshall Honolulu,
Visited USS
expatriates. The AIT chairperson accompanies the Taiwan
29, 11/
Islands,
Guam
Arizona Memorial
president in the United States. Transits now routinely
3-4,
Tuvalu, the
in Hawaii. Met
involve overnight stays, public events, and media coverage.
2017
Solomon
Guam Governor.
The Taiwan Travel Act (2018)

Islands
In 2018, Congress passed the Taiwan Travel Act (P.L. 115-
1/7-8,
Honduras,
Houston,
Visited MD
135). Section 3(b)(2) of the act states that it should be U.S.
1/13-14,
Nicaragua,
San
Anderson Cancer
policy to “allow high-level officials of Taiwan to enter the
2017
Guatemala,
Francisco
Center; met Texas
United States, under conditions which demonstrate
El Salvador
Governor.
appropriate respect for the dignity of such officials, and to
meet with officials of the United States,” including officials
6/24-25,
Panama,
Miami, Los
Spoke by phone
from the Departments of State and Defense.
6/30-7/1, Paraguay
Angeles
with House
2016
Speaker Paul Ryan.
Source: Office of the President, Taiwan.
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Taiwan Presidents’ U.S. Transit Visits

IF12371
Susan V. Lawrence, Specialist in Asian Affairs


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