Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te in Honolulu to kick off Pacific tour

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te arrived in Honolulu Saturday morning for a two-day visit — his first time in the islands and the Pacific since taking office in May.
Lai was welcomed at the airport by Gov. Josh Green, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan.
“Together, we extended a warm aloha to Lai and his delegation, highlighting Hawaii’s shared values of resilience and collaboration with Taiwan,” Gov. Green said in a statement.
The governor said Lai also took part in an emergency management briefing.
Lai is scheduled to host a dinner Saturday night with local and overseas Taiwanese leaders at the Kahala Resort.
On Sunday, he will meet with community and military leaders in Honolulu before departing for a week-long Pacific tour to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau — three allies of the self-governed island claimed by China.
Beijing is criticizing the visit because it views official exchanges between foreign governments and Taiwan as infringing its claims of sovereignty.
Washington does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but the U.S. is a major military partner. Taiwan has purchased billions of dollars of defense weaponry from the U.S. in what it calls efforts to maintain security and peace in the Taiwan Strait.
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