Departing from established protocol, however, Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi announced yesterday that the first lady and heads of Taiwan's unique five branches of power had been exempted from bidding farewell to the president ahead of his departure from Taoyuan International Airport.

Wang further stressed that there will be no impromptu press conferences or public statements during the planned stopovers in the U.S., as the president believes that friction in Taipei-Washington ties in recent years resulted from a lack of mutual trust.

Wang still left the door open for "private meetings" with U.S. officials if necessary.

The five branches of government in Taiwan, named Yuan, are the Executive Yuan (Cabinet); the Legislative Yuan (legislature); the Judicial Yuan (judiciary); the Control Yuan (in charge of monitoring government officials); and the Examination Yuan (in charge of holding and supervising civil service examinations).

Ma will attend the inaugurations of Paraguayan President-elect Fernando Lugo and Dominican Republic President-elect Leonel Fernandez, slated for Aug. 15 and 16, respectively, before returning to Taiwan on Aug. 19.

On his way to South America and from the Caribbean region, he will make low-key layover stops in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Meanwhile, Joseph Wu, former representative to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office under the administration of the Democratic Progressive Party, contended that the U.S. is highly suspicious of Ma's stance on the weapons deal.

U.S. suspicions reportedly stem from Ma's recent efforts to repair relations with China, allow direct weekend charter flights from China and let Taiwanese chipmakers to relocate 12-inch wafer plants to the mainland.

Analysts believe Ma's planned visit, intended to cement diplomatic ties with Paraguay and the Caribbean country, will be a touchstone as to whether Taiwan and China will set aside their competition in the international arena.

After taking office, Ma declared his new diplomatic approach of seeking a "diplomatic truce" with China in an attempt to end the so-called "checkbook diplomacy" conducted by both sides of the Taiwan Strait, in which Taiwan and China solicit recognition by offering large sums of money to poor countries.

During the presidential campaign, Lugo repeatedly said he will seek closer ties to China, marking a possible foreign policy shift in the only South American country allied with Taiwan.

Lugo ousted the center-right Colorado Party, which has had tight relations with major aid donor Taiwan during the party's 61-year rule.

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