TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Kuomintang Legislator Lai Shyh-bao suggested Wednesday (March 27) that President-elect Lai Ching-te entrusted Hsiao Bi-khim with significant diplomatic responsibilities. This comes as Hsiao visited the United States before Lai, which he interpreted as a sign of trust from the U.S. towards Hsiao.
Hsiao's low-profile visit to the U.S., followed by a trip to Europe, ended with her return to Taiwan before the President-elect's U.S. visit. This sequence of events has led to speculation that Lai Ching-te is delegating key foreign affairs tasks to Hsiao.
Lai Shyh-bao questioned why Hsiao visited the U.S. before Lai and suggested that this could indicate the U.S.'s trust in Hsiao. He also hinted that Hsiao might be given the authority to make certain diplomatic decisions.
During her trip, Hsiao visited Central European countries, including the Czech Republic, Poland, and Lithuania. She also delivered a speech at European think tanks on the topic of "Democracy and Security."
