MOFA welcomes former American vice president to Taiwan

Taipei, Jan. 17 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Friday welcomed former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's visit to Taiwan, in response to inquiries on his reported arrival in Taiwan on Thursday.

MOFA said it has always welcomed visits by friends from abroad, and that it appreciated the support for the Taiwanese that Pence showed by visiting Taiwan.

It said that Pence had been invited to Taiwan by private organizations and that the visit was part of his tour through the Asia-Pacific region.

The Hill, an American media outlet, reported that Pence planned to meet with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during his visit, citing "sources familiar with the trip."

It said Pence would meet with senior tech leaders on Friday and attend events and a dinner reception at the Taipei Guest House later that evening.