Taiwan’s president planning Hawaii visit on trip to Pacific, sources say
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Taiwan presidents, like Mr Lai Ching-te, typically make use of what are officially only stopovers in the US to meet friendly US politicians and give speeches.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON/TAIPEI – Taiwan President Lai Ching-te is planning to stop in Hawaii and maybe Guam on a visit to Taipei's diplomatic allies in the Pacific in the coming weeks, sources told Reuters, a sensitive trip coming shortly after the US election.
Mr Lai, who won election in January, Mr Lai as a “separatist”
Six sources briefed on the visit, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters that Mr Lai is planning a stopover in Hawaii as part of an overseas trip starting in the coming weeks.
A stopover in the US territory of Guam was also being discussed, four of the sources said. Both Hawaii and Guam are home to major US military bases.
Two of the sources said that the stopovers would be part of Mr Lai’s visit to Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the Pacific.
The Pacific countries of the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau are three of the 12 remaining states which maintain formal ties with Taipei. Reuters was unable to determine precisely which countries Mr Lai would go to and dates of the visits.
Taiwan’s presidential office said Mr Lai “at present has no overseas trips planned”, but if he does, the government will announce it at an appropriate time.
The US is Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic recognition.
“We refer you to the Taiwan authorities for the travel plans of high-level Taiwan officials. We have nothing further on this,” a State Department spokesperson said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing that the government’s position has consistently been to oppose such stopovers and said that China urges the US not to permit this for Mr Lai.
US government changing
Mr Lai’s trip will be taking place at the tail end of the administration of US President Joe Biden, who has said US forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.
President-elect Donald Trump, island should pay to be protected. pro-Taiwan Marco Rubio as secretary of state.
The Palau and Marshall Islands president's offices and the Tuvalu government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Taiwan presidents typically make use of what are officially only stopovers in the United States to meet friendly US politicians and give speeches. Such stopovers are typically on visits to far flung allies in the Pacific, Latin America or the Caribbean.
One person familiar with the US leg said Mr Lai’s visit is expected to be lower key than usual and that logistics are still being worked on.
The Pacific Islands nation visits are also important as China has been gradually whittling away at the number of countries there that retain ties with Taiwan. In January, tiny Nauru switched relations back to Beijing.
China has ramped up its military activities around Taiwan in the past five years, including holding another round of war games in May shortly after Mr Lai’s inauguration that it said were a warning against “separatist acts”.
Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says it has a right to engage with other countries and have its leaders make foreign trips.
In August 2023, China held a day of military drills around Taiwan after then Vice-President Lai returned from the US,
In April 2023, China also held war games around Taiwan in anger at a US trip by then President Tsai Ing-wen,
In 2017 and 2019, Ms Tsai stopped in Hawaii during her visits to Pacific allies. REUTERS
