TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday issued a statement refuting a late-October CNN report.

On Oct. 29, CNN published “Taiwan worries about US support wavering ahead of Trump’s meeting with Xi.” Citing an anonymous source, the outlet alleged Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) hosted a dinner in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and was snubbed when invited US officials failed to attend.

In its press release, MOFA disputed the account and called the source’s lack of understanding “regrettable.”

MOFA said Lin did not host the event but was invited by organizers to attend a dinner at the New York restaurant Le Bernardin. The ministry also rejected the claim that Lin did not meet key figures from the US or other countries, adding that to maintain mutual trust and confidentiality it would not comment on other guests.

The ministry emphasized that Taiwan–US relations remain strong and stable, and urged those with ulterior motives not to spread false information that could mislead the public or harm bilateral ties.

Following publication, politicians and news organizations picked up the report’s suggestion that US support for Taiwan was flagging. One KMT legislator called the episode a serious setback for US–Taiwan relations, suggesting the US is unlikely to assist Taiwan in a conflict with China, per UDN.