TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te is set to make brief stops in Hawaii and Guam during his upcoming journey to the South Pacific, a decision anticipated to evoke disapproval from China.
Lai is scheduled to leave Taiwan on Saturday for a week-long visit to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau—all of which are diplomatic partners of the self-governing island.
On Thursday, Taiwan’s Central News Agency cited an anonymous official who indicated that Lai would have stopovers in the U.S. state and territory. His office later confirmed on Friday that this information was accurate.
Taiwan has only 12 formal diplomatic allies, a number that has dwindled under Chinese influence, with China asserting its claim over Taiwan as its own territory. Nevertheless, Taiwan maintains robust informal relations with numerous countries, including the United States, which serves as its primary source of diplomatic and military backing.
The planned stopovers by Lai are likely to elicit a strong response from Beijing. Last year, when Lai’s predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, made a stop in the U.S. while en route to Central America, China expressed its concerns, vowing to “resolutely safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
In addition, the Chinese military conducted drills around Taiwan following a previous U.S. stopover by Lai, who was then vice-president. This was characterized by China as a warning against perceived collusion between Taiwanese “separatists” and foreign powers.
China harshly criticizes visits to the U.S. by Taiwanese leaders, as well as trips made to Taiwan by prominent American politicians. Beijing interprets these actions as breaches of commitments made by the U.S. when it shifted official recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
Amidst the diminishing number of its formal diplomatic allies, Taiwan has intensified efforts to participate in international discussions, striving to remain relevant even from the sidelines.
