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 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 exclude the use of strength to achieve this.
“China strongly condemns the United States' organization of the Lai Ching-te 'transit' and has sent solemn protests to the United States,” a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
“China will closely monitor the development of the situation 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.
In Hawaii, Lai Ching-te was welcomed by Governor Josh Green as well as by Ingrid Larson, the director in Washington of the American representation in Taipei (American Institute in Taiwan).
Beijing regularly criticizes Washington for not respecting the promise not to have official relations with Taipei.
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.
China also expressed on Sunday its “firm opposition” and “deplored” the approval by the United States of a new arms sale project to Taiwan, to the tune of 385 million dollars (364 million euros). ).
“We urge the United States to immediately stop arming Taiwan and stop encouraging and condoning forces that seek Taiwan's independence and want to strengthen its military to achieve this,” China's Ministry of Defense said. Foreign Affairs in a separate statement.
“China will take strong and resolute countermeasures to firmly defend its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” he said.
Although Washington does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taipei, it remains the island's main financial backer and its largest arms supplier.
Relations between Beijing and Taipei 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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