Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te Visits Hawaii

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.”

“China strongly condemns the US’s arranging for Lai Ching-te’s ‘stopover’ and has lodged serious protests with the US,” it said in a statement.

According to Kolas Yotaka, a former spokesperson for Lai and his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, such responses are routine.

“China’s oppression of Taiwan has intensified,” Kolas told CNN. “They’re not just targeting Taiwan – they’re targeting democratic institutions worldwide. Attacking Taiwan is part of China’s broader political agenda.”

Taiwanese security agencies anticipate that Beijing – which claims the self-governing island as its own territory – will use Lai’s trip as a pretext for military drills near Taiwan, potentially under the codename Such exercises, often accompanied by propaganda campaigns, are a familiar tactic.

US-Taiwan Ties

Lai’s Hawaii visit comes at a critical juncture in US-Taiwan relations. As the US transitions to a second Donald Trump administration, Taiwan’s leaders face significant uncertainties.

While Trump’s first term saw increased arms sales to Taiwan, his recent comments suggesting Taiwan should “pay for its defense” hint at a more transactional approach.

Taiwan does largely pay for its defense, through billions of dollars spent on US-made weapons. And unlike Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, it is not shielded by a mutual defense treaty with the United States

CNN/Ejiofor Ezeifeoma