After Guam, where he must spend the night, the leader, who has already visited the American territory of Hawaii, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, will conclude his trip on Friday to Palau, the third Pacific country recognizing Taipei.
There are still twelve around the world doing so, some former supporters having switched to Beijing's side, particularly after promises of aid and investment.
The tour, which constitutes Lai Ching-te's first trip abroad since taking office in May, is intended to strengthen international support for Taiwan, at a time when China seeks to seize the few allies which remain to him.
China considers that Taiwan is 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 in 1949. It does not rule out recourse the strength to achieve this.
– “Faithful ally” –
Beijing, which opposes any official contact between Taipei and foreign countries, “strongly” condemned Lai Ching-te's tour, urging the United States to “stop meddling in Taiwan”.
During Lai Ching-te's visit to the Marshall Islands, the president of this Pacific island nation, Hilda Heine, did not hesitate to assure him that she would continue to “express and support the inclusion of Taiwan in the United Nations United Nations and in all other regional and international organizations.
“The Republic of the Marshall Islands will remain a faithful ally” of Taipei, insisted Ms. Heine.
In his speech to the Marshall Islands Parliament, Lai Ching-te announced that Taiwan would grant a “preferential loan” to the national airline to enable it to purchase new aircraft.
Taipei will also contribute to the construction of a pig slaughterhouse in 2025 to strengthen “food security” in the Marshall Islands, he stressed.
He finally thanked Ms. Heine for “personally speaking out in defense of Taiwan this year at the Pacific Islands Forum, the United Nations General Assembly and COP 29.”
Taiwan has a long history of providing development aid to its allies in the Pacific.
During his visit to Tuvalu, a micro-state in the Pacific, Lai Ching-te, colorful shirt and flower garland around his neck, said he hoped that Taiwan and Tuvalu could “expand their cooperation to even more areas, strengthening thus our diplomatic partnership”.
– “National sovereignty” –
In Hawaii, an American state, he spoke on the telephone with former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi about “Chinese military threats” towards Taiwan.
In response to this tour, China reaffirmed on Tuesday that it wanted to defend its “national sovereignty” regarding this territory.
“The Taiwan issue is at the heart of China's primary interests,” Chinese diplomatic spokesperson Lin Jian told the press, when asked whether Beijing was likely to launch new military maneuvers around of the island in response to Mr. Lai's tour.
Beijing expressed its “firm opposition” and “deplored” Washington’s approval of a new arms sale project to Taipei, worth $385 million (364 million euros).
Although Washington has recognized Beijing to the detriment of Taipei since 1979, it remains Taiwan's most powerful ally and its main donor and arms supplier.
China accuses Mr. Lai, like his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen, of wanting to deepen cultural separation with the continent, denouncing “separatist” actions.
