Taiwan President's US Visit Provokes Strong Chinese Condemnation

President Lai Ching-te's Hawaii stopover during a Pacific diplomatic tour draws Beijing's protests and warnings of military countermeasures.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te received an unprecedented red-carpet welcome in Hawaii, marking the first stop of his Pacific tour to strengthen ties with diplomatic allies.
China strongly condemned Lai's US transit, labeling it a separatist act and lodging formal protests with Washington while warning of potential military drills near Taiwan.
The visit coincided with a $385 million US arms sale to Taiwan, including F-16 spare parts and radar systems, further straining US-China relations.
Lai emphasized peace and democracy during his Hawaii visit, calling for collective efforts to prevent war and highlighting Taiwan's role as a model of democratic governance.
The Pacific tour includes stops in the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau, three of Taiwan's 12 remaining formal allies, as Beijing continues efforts to isolate Taipei diplomatically.