Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has refuted reports that President Lai Ching-te was barred from transiting through the United States, clarifying on Tuesday that the president currently has no plans to travel abroad.

The response follows a report by the Financial Times alleging that the Trump administration had denied Lai entry into New York as part of a scheduled diplomatic visit to Latin America next month, citing objections from Beijing.

Taiwan, however, maintains that no formal request was made and no rejection has occurred.

“There has been no postponement, cancellation, or denial of transit permission by the US,” ministry spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei told journalists in Taipei. He emphasized that President Lai’s immediate focus remains on domestic matters.

“Considering the post-disaster recovery in southern Taiwan, ongoing trade discussions with the United States, and the wider international context, the president has no overseas travel plans in the near term,” Hsiao added.

Although Lai’s office has not confirmed any official itinerary, Paraguayan authorities announced in July that the Taiwanese leader was expected to visit within 30 days likely requiring a US transit stop given travel routes to South America. Taiwan currently maintains full diplomatic ties with only 12 nations, including Paraguay, Guatemala, and Belize.

The Financial Times, citing unnamed sources, claimed President Lai opted to cancel the trip after being informed he would not be allowed to stop in New York. The article suggests the decision followed pressure from Beijing, which opposes any international engagement with Taiwan, viewing the self-ruled island as part of its territory.

Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized the reported move, warning that it could signal a shift in America’s long-standing Taiwan policy.

“This sends a dangerous message,” Pelosi wrote on Facebook. “President Xi has once again gained ground at the expense of US values, security, and economic interests by reportedly pressuring the Trump administration to block a democratically elected leader from transiting through New York.”

She added: “Let us hope this is not the beginning of a troubling change in US policy toward Taiwan.”

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Washington’s de facto embassy in Taipei, declined to confirm whether such a request had been made, calling the issue “hypothetical” in the absence of a public travel announcement from Lai.

However, the AIT stressed that US policy has not changed, noting that transit by high-level Taiwanese officials including sitting presidents has long been permitted under established practice.

Bloomberg News previously reported that Lai had planned to pass through New York and Dallas en route to visits in Paraguay and Central American allies Guatemala and Belize.

These countries are among the few that still maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Meanwhile, US and Chinese officials are currently holding trade negotiations in Stockholm, seeking to preserve a fragile truce amid the ongoing tariff disputes triggered by President Trump’s protectionist policies.

Despite not recognizing Taiwan as a sovereign state, the United States remains its most critical security and diplomatic partner, supplying arms and maintaining unofficial but strong ties under the Taiwan Relations Act.