GUATEMALA CITY/ASUNCION – Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has postponed a planned diplomatic visit to the Americas that was expected to take place next month, embassy officials confirmed on Tuesday. The delay comes as Taiwan grapples with the aftermath of Typhoon Danas and ongoing torrential rains that have caused widespread flooding and damage.
Lai’s visit had been part of an effort to reinforce Taiwan’s diplomatic presence in the region, where many countries have shifted allegiance to Beijing. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has been steadily pressuring nations to sever formal ties with the island. Taiwan currently has only a handful of diplomatic allies worldwide.
Embassy officials in Guatemala and Paraguay said the trip had been called off for the time being. “It had to be postponed because of the typhoon that caused many natural disasters. There is no new date to reschedule the visit,” an official in Guatemala City told Reuters. A spokesperson at Taiwan’s embassy in Paraguay’s capital, Asuncion, confirmed that the Taiwanese president currently has no travel plans abroad.
Lai had also been expected to visit Belize and the United States as part of the broader diplomatic tour. The decision to delay the trip comes amid rising domestic challenges. Typhoon Danas struck Taiwan’s western coast earlier this month with record-breaking winds, severely impacting power infrastructure and damaging homes. The island is now contending with additional flooding from a tropical depression, which has submerged streets and homes across several southern towns. Authorities have issued warnings for potential landslides in affected areas.
In Paraguay, Taiwan’s only remaining diplomatic ally in South America, ruling party congressman Hugo Meza questioned the value of continuing formal ties with Taipei, calling the relationship a waste of time. Taiwan’s foreign policy remains under close scrutiny as geopolitical tensions with China intensify and its few remaining allies face growing economic and political pressure to switch recognition to Beijing.