US adds Taiwan to visa waiver programme

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AFP) - The United States government has certified Taiwan a member of its visa waiver programme, as part of his strategy to expand tourism to the United States, the White House said on Tuesday.

The move will allow Taiwanese visitors to the United States to enter the country for 90 days without visas, a privilege already extended to people of 36 nations.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had linked up to designate "Taiwan as the newest member of the visa waiver programme," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

The move was a logical development in the "close security, economic and people-to-people relationship between the US and Taiwan," he said.