Taiwan’s leader Lai Ching-te suffered a string of high-profile political setbacks over the past week, wounding his presidency at home and abroad. With a US tariff deadline looming, things could get worse.

President Donald Trump announced new trade agreements with Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia this week as the Trump-imposed August 1 tariff deadline approaches. The U.S.–Japan agreement reduces planned tariffs on Japanese exports from 25% to 15% in exchange for a $550 billion Japanese investment in U.

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te is set to delay a diplomatically sensitive trip his team had floated to the Trump administration for August that would have included stops in the United States, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has canceled a planned overseas trip after the Trump administration declined to approve stopovers in New York and Dallas, amid concerns it could derail trade negotiations with China and plans for a potential Trump–Xi summit.

Donald Trump’s administration has denied permission for Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te to stop in New York en route to Central America, after China raised objections with Washington about the visit.