TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Lai Ching-te (賴清德) landed in Tuvalu on Wednesday morning (Dec. 4), after concluding a visit to the Marshall Islands the day before.
The president will only stay in Tuvalu for around seven hours, CNA reported. He is slated to hold talks with Prime Minister Feleti Teo and Governor-General Tofiga Vaevalu Falani. He will also visit Nauti Primary School and attend a banquet hosted by Teo.
Upon his arrival, Lai was greeted by Taiwan’s Ambassador to Tuvalu, Lin Dong-heng (林東亨), and Tuvalu's chief of protocol. Tuvalu Foreign Minister Paulson Panapa was also present.
Lai is expected to reach Guam on Wednesday night at approximately 7 p.m. Taiwan time. The last stop on his South Pacific tour is Palau, where he will meet with President Surangel Whipps Jr. and visit the National Congress. He will also participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new government building.
The Presidential Office has defended Lai’s layovers in US territory as “a longstanding, bipartisan practice,” after China protested the move earlier this week. Beijing called on the US to "cease all official interactions with Taiwan and stop sending erroneous signals to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”
Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) urged Beijing to return to the rules-based international order and contribute to regional peace. Taiwan is monitoring the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning as Beijing is expected to conduct military drills in response to Lai’s trip.