Trump on possibility of Tsai meeting: 'We'll see'

Washington, Dec. 31 (CNA) U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday failed to dispel speculation about a possible meeting with ROC President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) when she stops over in the United States later this week.

During a New Year's Eve celebration at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump was asked whether he would meet Tsai during her stopover in the U.S. The president-elect indicated that from a protocol standpoint, he will not meet anybody until after Janu. 20 because it would be inappropriate.

However, Trump's following comment left many to speculate on the possibility of a meeting, adding "But we'll see ... we'll see."

Earlier in December, Trump spoke with Tsai on the phone in what was described as the first time since the severing of diplomatic ties between the United States and Taiwan nearly 38 years ago.

The congratulatory call sparked a wave of rhetoric from Beijing, which vigorously obstructs any official contacts between Taiwan and other nations.

Tsai will stopover in Houston and San Francisco on her nine-day Central American trip, which begins this Saturday. She will meet with Taiwan expatriates living in the U.S. before heading to Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador, four of Taiwan's diplomatic allies in Central America.

(By Rita Cheng and Ko Lin)enditem/AW