Former Taiwan president Tsai to visit Germany in outreach to Europe

Former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will visit Berlin to address a conference next week, her office said on Wednesday, as the diplomatically isolated island

pushes ahead with a new outreach to Europe.



Chinese-claimed and democratically governed Taiwan has formal diplomatic ties only with the Vatican in Europe, but countries from Britain and France to Lithuania and Poland have disregarded Beijing's complaints to allow visits by acting or former senior Taiwan officials.



Tsai, who left office last year, will leave for Berlin on Saturday and speak on Monday at the Berlin Freedom Conference, her office said.



"Former President Tsai hopes this trip will help deepen cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and Germany, as well as with like-minded democratic countries in Europe," it said in a statement.