TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The head of Taiwan’s top intelligence agency on Thursday (March 21) counseled against President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) visiting the disputed South China Sea island of Taiping.

This follows on from Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Wednesday (March 20) saying the visit should not go ahead due to regional tensions, mainly between China and the Philippines. Mostly opposition lawmakers have been calling for the visit by Tsai before she leaves office on May 20.

National Security Bureau (NSB) Director General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said a visit at this time might be interpreted as creating extra tension, thus affecting Taiwan’s foreign relations. The high degree of militarization in the South China Sea also provides security concerns about the president’s flight to Taiping Island, he said.

The intelligence chief told lawmakers the 1,600-kilometer journey might be subject to interference as was already the case with many other flights and sailings, per Radio Taiwan International (RTI). If the elements of uncertainty could not be reduced, the NSB could not advise the president to undertake the trip, he said.