Updated April 6, 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. Subsequently-declassified
briefing papers for Under Secretary of State Peter Tarnoff’s
Unofficial Relations
travel to China that month show the Administration stating
U.S.-Taiwan relations have been unofficial since January 1,
that it would now “[p]ermit normal transits of the U.S., but
1979, when the United States established diplomatic
no visits or public activities, for Taiwan’s top leadership,”
relations with the PRC and terminated diplomatic relations
while continuing to “[f]orbid visits, as opposed to transits,
with self-ruled Taiwan, which officially calls itself the
by Taiwan’s top leadership.” On September 27, 1994,
Republic of China (ROC). In three joint communiqués
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific
concluded with the PRC in 1972, 1978, and 1982, the
Affairs Winston Lord presented the outcome of the Taiwan
United States “acknowledged,” but did not endorse, “the
Policy Review to Congress. He stated that President Bill
Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is
Clinton “has decided to enhance our unofficial ties with
part of China.” In the 1978 communiqué, the United States
Taiwan.” Under questioning from Senators, one of whom
also stated that, “the people of the United States will
expressed “dismay” over the conditions of President Lee’s
maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations
transit, Lord said “under our new policy, we will permit
with the people of Taiwan.” The PRC views the
overnight visits. We will permit anything consistent with
communiqués as the basis for U.S.-China relations.
security and comfort and convenience so long as it’s a
transit visit.” Lord added that “the Administration strongly
The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA, P.L. 96-8; 22 U.S.C.
opposes congressional attempts to legislate visits by top
§3301 et seq.) provides the legal basis for unofficial U.S.
leaders of the ‘Republic of China’ to the U.S.” The next
relations with Taiwan. It includes a statement that it is U.S.
month, Congress passed the Immigration and Nationality
policy “to preserve and promote extensive, close, and
Technical Corrections Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-416). Section
friendly commercial, cultural, and other relations between
221 of the act states that whenever Taiwan presidents or
the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan,
high-level Taiwan officials apply for visas to visit the
as well as the people on the China mainland and all other
https://crsreports.congress.gov

link to page 2 Taiwan Presidents’ U.S. Transit Visits
United States for discussions with federal or state officials,
2023 House Speaker Meeting
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 included stops in New York and Los Angeles. House
alma mater, Cornell University. The Clinton Administration
Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted a bipartisan meeting with
initially denied the request and assured the PRC that no
Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California
such visit would take place. President Clinton pivoted to
on April 5, 2023. He is the highest-ranking U.S. official to
approving the visit after Congress passed H.Con.Res. 53
meet with a Taiwan president on U.S. soil.
(104th Congress) “Expressing the sense of the Congress
regarding a private visit by President Lee Teng-hui of the
Following the meeting, a PRC Foreign Ministry
Republic of China on Taiwan to the United States.” (The
spokesperson accused the United States of providing a
vote was 396-0 in the House, and 97-1 in the Senate.) Lee
platform for Tsai’s alleged “separatist rhetoric” and of
visited Cornell in June 1995 and addressed his fellow
betraying U.S. commitments to maintain only unofficial
alumni. In response, the PRC carried out missile launches,
relations with Taiwan. The PRC sent the Shandong aircraft
live-fire exercises, a naval exercise, and an amphibious
carrier to waters southeast of Taiwan, en route to its first
landing exercise over several months in 1995. In March
ever maneuvers in the Western Pacific, while the USS
1996, the PRC undertook more missile launches and a joint
Nimitz took up a position east of Taiwan. A provincial-level
amphibious landing exercise in an apparent attempt to drive
PRC maritime safety administration said it would conduct
down support for Lee ahead of Taiwan’s first direct
three days of patrols and inspections of ships in the Taiwan
presidential election, which Lee won. The United States
Strait; Taiwan’s government advised ships not to comply.
responded by dispatching two aircraft carrier battle groups
Before the meeting, the White House press secretary urged
to the area. The events are now known as the third Taiwan
China not “to overreact” and said, “there’s no change to our
Strait Crisis, following earlier crises in 1954 and 1958.
one China policy. We’ve been very clear about that.”
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,
Met Speaker Kevin
diplomatic relations with Taiwan. (Seven of Taiwan’s
4/4-6,
and Belize
Los
McCarthy in LA
remaining 13 diplomatic partners are in Latin America and
2023
Angeles
the Caribbean. Four are in the Pacific and one, the Holy
See, is in Europe.)
7/11-13,
Haiti, Saint
New York,
Visited National
7/19-21,
Kitts and
Denver
Center for
The main office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT),
2019
Nevis, Saint
Atmospheric
the ostensibly private entity through which the United
Vincent and
Research. Met
States conducts unofficial relations with Taiwan, issues
Grenadines,
Colorado
visas for Taiwan presidents and their delegations transiting
St. Lucia
Governor.
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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