Taiwan President Lai’s first overseas trip is carefully calibrated amid uncertainty over Trump 2.0

BEIJING – Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s first trip abroad six months after he took office in May was carefully calibrated but was nevertheless likely to trigger a response from China in the form of military drills around the island, analysts said.

While China has already criticised the trip, which took place from Nov 30 to Dec 6 and

included two stopovers in US territories Hawaii and Guam,

Mr Lai has not said anything particularly provocative to Beijing, they added.