TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Lai Ching-te (賴清德) landed in Hawaii on Saturday (Nov. 30) as the first stop of his South Pacific tour.
Lai visited the Bishop Museum and was greeted by museum President Dee Jay Mailer and museum board member Manu Kaiama. Maile and Council of Indigenous Peoples Minister Ljaucu Zingrur also exchanged gifts in front of the museum.
Lai also visited the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and stopped at the USS Arizona Memorial, before attending a banquet for overseas Taiwanese.
The president will stay in Hawaii for two nights, then visit the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu and transit through Guam before heading to Palau. Lai said this trip (Nov. 30-Dec. 6) focuses on smart sustainability, sustainable democracy, and sustainable diplomacy.
Taiwan will continue expanding partnerships and demonstrate to the world that it is not only a model of democracy but also a crucial force for global peace, stability, and prosperity, Lai said.
In the Marshall Islands, he will meet with President Hilda Heine and attend a ceremony marking the completion of the Majuro Hospital AI and Telemedicine Center.
In Tuvalu, Lai will engage with Prime Minister Feleti Penitala Teo and Governor-General Tofiga Vaevalu Falani. He will also visit Nauti Primary School.
His visit to Palau will include talks with President Surangel Whipps Jr. and a stop at the National Congress. Lai will also participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new government building.
China is expected to use Lai’s trip as a pretext to conduct its Joint Sword-2024C exercise near Taiwan, according to Reuters.