Taipei: Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te will embark on a diplomatic tour to the island’s three Pacific allies starting November 30, his office announced on Friday. However, specific details about potential transit stops in the United States remain undisclosed, stirring speculation and drawing attention from Beijing.
Taiwanese presidents often use visits to allied nations as an opportunity for unofficial U.S. stopovers, fostering relations with their most crucial international supporter and arms supplier. Such transits, however, have consistently provoked strong reactions from China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory.
In recent years, China’s responses to such visits have escalated to military drills around Taiwan. Last year, former Vice President Lai’s U.S. stopover en route to Paraguay prompted extensive military exercises. Similarly, a meeting between then-President Tsai Ing-wen and former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles in April last year also led to heightened Chinese military activity.
U.S. Transit Plans Remain Unclear
Reports suggest Lai may stop in Hawaii or Guam during his Pacific tour. When pressed for details, Deputy Taiwan Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang emphasized that planning was ongoing.
“There is a principle, which is that they are handled with safety, dignity, convenience, and comfort in mind,” Tien stated, avoiding specifics.
China’s foreign ministry has not yet commented on Lai’s planned trip.
Strengthening Ties with Pacific Allies
Lai’s itinerary includes visits to Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu, which represent three of Taiwan’s 12 remaining formal diplomatic allies. The visit aims to bolster ties amid growing Chinese influence in the Pacific region.
China has successfully persuaded several nations to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing, with Nauru being the most recent example in January. The competition for influence between the U.S. and China has further intensified in the Pacific, making Lai’s visit strategically significant.
Lai’s official schedule places him in the Marshall Islands on December 3, though his whereabouts in the interim remain undisclosed.
Beijing’s Military Pressure
China has intensified its military activities around Taiwan over the past five years. After Lai’s inauguration earlier this year, Beijing conducted military drills, labeling them a warning against “separatist acts.”
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Taiwan’s government firmly rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, asserting its right to engage with the international community and for its leaders to travel abroad.
Historical Context
Taiwanese leaders’ U.S. stopovers have historically drawn Beijing’s ire. Tsai Ing-wen made similar transits during her presidency, including stops in Hawaii during Pacific tours in 2017 and 2019.
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As tensions between Taiwan and China persist, Lai’s upcoming visit underscores the island’s efforts to maintain its global partnerships while navigating the geopolitical challenges posed by Beijing’s pressure.
