By Angie Teo, Ann Wang and David Brunnstrom
(Reuters) -Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te started a two-day U.S. stopover in Hawaii on Saturday as a part of a Pacific tour after declaring his democratically ruled island a key drive for selling world peace and stability.
China, which views Taiwan as its personal territory and opposes any international interactions or visits by the island’s leaders, has been stepping up army strain towards Taiwan, together with two rounds of battle video games this yr.
China views Lai as a harmful separatist and on Friday urged Washington to train “utmost warning” in its relations with Taiwan.
Safety sources have instructed Reuters that Beijing could maintain extra army workout routines to coincide with Lai’s Pacific tour, which will even embrace a stopover in Guam, a U.S. territory. It’s Lai’s first international journey since taking workplace in Could.
After Hawaii, he’ll go to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three of the 12 nations that retain formal diplomatic ties with Taipei and part of the world the place China has been exerting stronger affect.
Talking to reporters earlier than his departure, Lai mentioned: “Thanks to the U.S. authorities for upholding the ideas of security, dignity, consolation and comfort for serving to the graceful technique of this journey.”
Hawaii Governor Josh Inexperienced mentioned in an announcement after he, the mayor of Honolulu and town’s police chief greeted Lai on the tarmac of Honolulu airport, and that the assembly was a “momentous event,” highlighting Hawaii’s shared values of resilience and collaboration with Taiwan.
Inexperienced later hosted Lai for an emergency administration briefing to debate dealing with pure disasters, he added.
Ingrid Larson, Washington workplace managing director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the physique that serves because the unofficial U.S. embassy in Taiwan, was additionally on the airport to welcome Lai.
Laura Rosenberger, chair of the institute, posted on X that “Ingrid Larson and the nice neighborhood of Hawaii are excited to greet you!”
Taiwan’s official Central Information Company mentioned the welcome exceeded these of previous visits.
“President Lai’s transit was the primary time that he was obtained on the airport, and a purple carpet was rolled and flowers have been introduced, which was the best stage of courtesy ever, totally different from the previous mode of entry into the terminal; and the extent of the reception additionally exceeded earlier norms,” CNA mentioned.
Requested about this, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Division mentioned: “The transit is personal and unofficial and squarely inside precedent.”
In a while Saturday, Lai will go to the usArizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, which marks the resting place of a few of these killed throughout the 1941 Japanese assault that introduced the U.S. into World Struggle Two, CNA mentioned.
‘BEGINNING OF NEW ERA’
Taiwan presidents typically make use of what are formally solely stopovers in america to fulfill pleasant U.S. politicians and provides speeches. Such stopovers are usually on visits to far-flung allies within the Pacific, Latin America or the Caribbean.
“This journey is the start of a brand new period of value-based diplomacy,” Lai mentioned. “Democracy, prosperity and peace are the expectations of the individuals of Taiwan, and they’re additionally the values that I, as president, should actively promote.”
He mentioned he would “proceed to broaden cooperation and deepen our partnership with our allies and pals primarily based on the values of democracy, peace and prosperity, in order that the world can see that Taiwan shouldn’t be solely a mannequin of democracy, but in addition a key drive in selling world peace, stability, and prosperity.”
Hawaii and Guam are residence to main U.S. army bases.
A number of hours earlier than Lai’s departure, america introduced a brand new arms sale bundle for Taiwan, of spare components for F-16 jets and radars for an estimated $385 million.
Whereas it has solely unofficial relations with Taiwan and follows a “one-China” coverage below which it acknowledges Beijing diplomatically, the U.S. authorities is obliged by legislation to produce the island with the means to defend itself.
The State Division mentioned it noticed no justification for what it referred to as a non-public, routine and unofficial transit by Lai for use by China as a pretext for provocation.
Taiwan’s authorities rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says it has a proper to have interaction with the world and for its leaders to journey overseas.
