Taiwan President Ends Thorny U.S. Visit
Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui left Anchorage on Sunday on his way home from a groundbreaking visit to the United States that marked the start of what Taiwan hopes will be a new diplomatic balance among Taipei, Beijing and Washington.
Scores of well-wishers, mostly members of Alaska’s Chinese community, waved small Taiwanese flags from sun-drenched sidewalks as Lee’s motorcade left a downtown hotel escorted by police.
His 13-hour stopover in Anchorage was the last in his U.S. visit. Lee met with Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles, state Commerce Commissioner Willie Hensley, Anchorage Mayor Rick Mystrom and local Chinese Americans. His plane departed at 4 p.m. PDT.
Taiwan officials brushed aside China’s irate accusations that Lee’s unofficial trip to the United States, the first by a Taiwanese president, had placed Sino-U.S. relations and the future of Taiwan in jeopardy.
Government spokesman Jason Hu said a strong Taiwan is ultimately in China’s best interest. He said Lee’s trip had helped the world understand Taiwan.
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