The News
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te landed in Hawaii Saturday for a two-day visit hours after Washington announced the sale of $385 million in weapons to Taipei. The deal, which includes fighter jet parts, drew sharp protests from Beijing, with the foreign ministry describing the deal as a “provocative act” and vowing “resolute countermeasures,” including potential military drills near the island.
Speaking to CNN, Lai’s former spokesperson Kolas Yotaka said that while Beijing’s response was routine, “China’s oppression of Taiwan has intensified.”
“They’re not just targeting Taiwan – they’re targeting democratic institutions worldwide. Attacking Taiwan is part of China’s broader political agenda,” she said.
Meanwhile in Hawaii, Lai was reportedly greeted with a red carpet and flowers at Honolulu airport, where he was met by the state’s Governor Josh Green, although the US State Department stressed that the stopover was “private and unofficial.”
Lai’s tour through the Pacific is widely seen as a bid to strengthen its remaining diplomatic ties in the region amid concern of waning US support under the incoming administration, and President-elect Donald Trump has suggested that Taiwan should “pay for its defense” in the future.