Taiwanese president begins his Pacific tour in Hawaii, despite Beijing’s anger

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te (2nd from left) visits the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, November 30, 2024. AKIO WANG / AFP Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te was welcomed Saturday, November 30 on a red carpet and flower necklaces in the American archipelago of Hawaii, the first stop on a tour of several Pacific territories which arouses protests from Beijing. The Taiwanese leader was welcomed by the governor of Hawaii, Josh Green, and Ingrid Larson, the Washington director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto American embassy on the island. During a visit to the USS Arizona memorial, dedicated to American sailors killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor, he called on his American partners to commit to maintaining peace, against a backdrop of tensions with China. “Peace has no price and war has no winner. We must fight, fight together to avoid war,” he said in a speech. Read also | Forty-one Chinese military planes and ships near Taiwan, just before its president’s stopovers in American territory Read later Mr. Lai said he was “grateful” to the United States for the help they gave him to to ensure the success of his tour. The partnership between Washington and Taipei is “rock solid,” American Institute in Taiwan President Laura Rosenberger said during a dinner with U.S. government officials and overseas Taiwanese. Opposed to any initiative giving the Taiwanese authorities international legitimacy, Beijing denounced this welcome. “China strongly condemns the organization by the United States of the Lai Ching-te “transit” and has sent solemn protests to the United States,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “China will closely monitor the development of the situation and take resolute and effective measures to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he stressed. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers One military exercise after another, China is preparing for a potential invasion of Taiwan Read later “New democratic era” Beijing believes that Taiwan is one of its provinces, which it does not have still managed to reunify with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese Civil War (1949). He does not exclude the use of force to achieve this. China has repeatedly called Lai Ching-te a “separatist” and increased military pressure around the island in recent years with numerous maneuvers. In a speech before takeoff, Mr. Lai said his tour marked the beginning of “a new democratic era.” He said he wanted to “continue to expand cooperation and deepen partnerships with our allies based on the values ​​of democracy, peace and prosperity.” Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers The Taiwanese president takes the risk of a firm speech against China Read later The Taiwanese president must spend two days in Hawaii and should also spend a night in Guam, in American territory, during his journey. His tour will take him to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, the only nations in the region among the 12 allies that recognize Taiwan. Taiwan deployed four F-16 fighter jets to escort the plane carrying the Taiwanese president and his delegation, according to an AFP journalist accompanying the leader. Taiwanese officials have already stopped on American soil during trips to the Pacific or Latin America. Lai Ching-te’s predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, passed through these same American territories in 2017. In 2023, she met Kevin McCarthy, then Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, in California. Beijing then responded with major military exercises around Taiwan. Uncertainties after the election of Donald Trump China “always wants to give the impression that Taiwan is isolated and dependent” on it, said Bonnie Glaser, an analyst at the German Marshall think tank, to Agence France-Presse (AFP). Fund. Le Monde Mémorable Test your general knowledge with the editorial staff of “Le Monde” Test your general knowledge with the editorial staff of “Le Monde” Discover Washington has recognized Beijing to the detriment of Taipei since 1979, but remains in fact Taiwan’s most powerful ally and its main arms supplier. The United States also announced on Friday that it had approved the potential sale of spare parts for F-16 fighter planes and radar systems to Taiwan. In response, China urged the United States “to immediately stop arming Taiwan” and “to encourage and condone forces that seek Taiwan’s independence and want to strengthen its military to achieve it,” it said. the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The Taiwanese leader’s trip comes as Donald Trump is due to arrive at the White House in January. Taipei congratulated Mr Trump on his victory, but uncertainties remain over its future policy towards the island. During his campaign, Mr. Trump suggested that Taiwan pay the United States for its defense. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers Beijing and Taipei are working to assess the dangers of the Trump presidency Read later Le Monde Reuse this content



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