The Taiwanese president, Lai Ching-te, has begun a two-day US stopover in Hawaii as a part of a Pacific tour after declaring his democratically ruled island a key power for selling international peace and stability.
The journey has sparked fury from China, which views Taiwan as its personal territory and opposes any international interactions or visits by the island’s leaders. China’s international ministry mentioned on Sunday it had lodged “severe protests” with the US.
China has been stepping up army stress towards Taiwan, together with two rounds of struggle video games this 12 months, and safety sources have instructed Reuters that Beijing might maintain extra army workout routines to coincide with Lai’s tour, which additionally features a stopover in Guam, a US territory.
It is Lai’s first international journey since taking workplace in May. After Hawaii, he’ll go to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three of the 12 international locations that retain formal diplomatic ties with Taipei and part of the world the place China has been exerting stronger affect.
Speaking to reporters earlier than his departure, Lai mentioned: “Thank you to the US authorities for upholding the rules of security, dignity, consolation and comfort for serving to the graceful technique of this journey.”
Hawaii’s governor, Josh Green, mentioned in a press release after he, the mayor of Honolulu and town’s police chief greeted Lai on the tarmac of Honolulu airport on Saturday and that the assembly was a “momentous event”, highlighting Hawaii’s shared values of resilience and collaboration with Taiwan.
Green later hosted Lai for an emergency administration briefing to debate dealing with pure disasters, he added.
Ingrid Larson, the Washington workplace managing director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the physique that serves because the unofficial US embassy in Taiwan, was additionally on the airport to welcome Lai. Laura Rosenberger, chair of the institute, posted on X that “Ingrid Larson and the good group of Hawaii are excited to greet you!”
Taiwan’s official Central News Agency mentioned the welcome exceeded these of previous visits.
“President Lai’s transit was the primary time that he was acquired on the airport, and a purple carpet was rolled and flowers have been introduced, which was the very best degree of courtesy ever, completely different from the previous mode of entry into the terminal, and the extent of the reception additionally exceeded earlier norms,” CNA mentioned.
Asked about this, a spokesperson for the US State Department mentioned: “The transit is personal and unofficial and squarely inside precedent.”
Later on Saturday, Lai was to go to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbour, which marks the resting place of a few of these killed throughout the 1941 Japanese assault that introduced the US into the second world struggle, CNA mentioned.
Hawaii and Guam are house to main US army bases.
China additionally vowed “resolute countermeasures” on Sunday to a lately accredited US arms sale to Taiwan, saying it had lodged a criticism over the sale, which it mentioned significantly infringed on China’s sovereignty.
The US State Department accredited the potential sale – price an estimated $385m – of spare elements and assist for F-16 jets and radars to Taiwan, the Pentagon mentioned on Friday, just a few hours earlier than Lai set off from Taiwan.
The Taiwanese chief’s journey comes because the Republican US president-elect, Donald Trump, prepares to take workplace in January. Taipei publicly congratulated him on his victory. During his marketing campaign, Trump recommended Taiwan ought to pay the US for its defence.
Taiwanese presidents typically make use of what are formally solely stopovers within the US to satisfy pleasant US politicians and provides speeches. Such stopovers are sometimes on visits to far-flung allies within the Pacific, Latin America or the Caribbean.
“This journey is the start of a brand new period of value-based diplomacy,” Lai mentioned. “Democracy, prosperity and peace are the expectations of the individuals of Taiwan, and they’re additionally the values that I, as president, should actively promote.”
The US has solely unofficial relations with Taiwan and follows a “one-China” coverage beneath which it recognises Beijing diplomatically, however the US authorities is obliged by legislation to produce the island with the means to defend itself.
Taiwan’s authorities rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says it has a proper to have interaction with the world and for its leaders to journey overseas.
With Reuters and Agence France-Presse
