Tsai to transit in New York, Denver on upcoming Caribbean visit

Taipei, July 9 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) will embark on a 12-day visit to four Caribbean diplomatic allies July 11, with symbolic stopovers in two American cities -- New York and Denver -- the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced Tuesday.

In previous visits by Taiwan's presidents to foreign allies, the stopovers in the U.S., which angered Beijing, were usually seen as an indicator of U.S.-Taiwan relations. Things like in which cities the president stopped over and whom the president met were taken into account, and were regarded as very sensitive and important.

Tsai will visit Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Lucia on this trip dubbed the "Tour for Freedom, Democracy and Sustainability," according to the itinerary released by MOFA.

The stopover in New York is symbolic as the city is considered one of America's most influential metropolises and a cultural, financial and media capital. However, the details of her New York transit were not revealed.

Tsai will make her stopover in Denver July 19 and meet the press in an informal gathering the next day to share the results of the visits.

The first Caribbean ally Tsai will visit is Haiti, where she will tour a Taiwan trade exhibition with Haitian President Jovenel Moise and attend a state banquet. She will then proceed to Saint Kitts and Nevis, where she will stay for four days and three nights.

While there, Tsai will witness the signing of cooperation agreements between high-level officials and meet with Prime Minister Timothy Harris and Governor-General Tapley Seaton.

She will also attend a groundbreaking ceremony of an ocean park and a wreath-laying activity at a monument.

The third destination will be St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where Tsai will stay for two days and one night. She will meet Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and witness the signing of a transnational anti-crime agreement. Tsai will also deliver a speech at the country's parliament and dine with Taiwanese expatriates and recipients of the Taiwan Scholarship Program.

On her last stop, Saint Lucia, Tsai will visit Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and Governor-General Emmanuel Cenac.

Other highlights of her Saint Lucia visit will include a speech at parliament, a tour of a banana export center, the launch of an infrastructure project, the inauguration of a human resources development center, and a meeting with members of Taiwanese technical missions.

She is expected to arrive back in Taiwan July 22.