Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te in Hawaii: A stopover that speaks volumes
Source: CNN World
Updated 6:21 AM EST, Sun December 1, 2024
CNN — Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s brief stop in Hawaii may have appeared understated – no formal US reception, no grand speeches – but its implications extend far beyond floral wreaths and banquets. On his way to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau – three of Taiwan’s remaining handful of diplomatic allies – Lai was using the visit to underscore Taiwan’s diplomatic resilience amid intensifying pressure from Beijing.
It also comes as Taiwan contends with the upcoming leadership change inside the White House. Lai will stop over for two nights in Hawaii and one night in the US territory of Guam – his first transit across US soil since taking office in May, Taipei’s presidential office told CNN.
Though billed as an unofficial transit, the trip drew scrutiny, particularly from China, which condemned Lai’s visit and is expected to respond with military drills near Taiwan. This was more than a layover; it reaffirmed Taiwan’s partnerships with the US and other democracies – alliances Beijing is eager to undermine.
China’s reaction to Lai’s visit was predictably fierce. A spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office called it “a provocative act” and insisted that efforts to seek Taiwan independence “are doomed to fail.” On Sunday, Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “firmly opposes any form of US connivance or support for ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists and their separatist activities.”
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/01/asia/taiwan-lai-hawaii-china-intl-hnk/index.html
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