Taiwanese President in Hawaii: China “strongly condemns” and protests to the United States

China said on Sunday that it “strongly condemns” the authorization granted by the United States for Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te to visit Hawaii, where he was notably welcomed by the governor of this American archipelago.

This is the first stop on the Taiwanese leader's tour of several Pacific territories, a trip that he presents as the entry into a “new democratic era”, but which arouses the ire of Beijing.

China considers Taiwan to be one of its provinces, which it has not yet succeeded in reunifying with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese civil war (1949). It does not exclude the use of force to achieve this.

“China will closely monitor developments”

“China strongly condemns the United States' organization of the Lai Ching-te transit and has made solemn protests to the United States,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

“China will closely monitor developments and take resolute and effective measures to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he stressed.

Opposed to any initiative giving the Taiwanese authorities international legitimacy, China is firmly against any official contact between Taiwan and other countries.

Beijing-Taipei relations have been terrible since 2016

In Hawaii, Lai Ching-te was welcomed by Governor Josh Green as well as Ingrid Larson, the director in Washington of the American representation in Taipei (American Institute in Taiwan).

The Taiwanese president is due to visit the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, the only nations in the region among the 12 remaining allies to recognize Taiwan.

Beijing-Taipei relations have been terrible since 2016 and the arrival as Taiwanese president of Tsai Ing-wen, then Lai Ching-te in 2024.

China regularly accuses them of wanting to deepen the cultural separation between the island and the continent. In response, Beijing notably strengthened its military activity around Taiwan.

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