Taiwan's president to visit Tuvalu, Palau and Marshall Islands

22/11/2024 18:22

        Taiwan President Lai Ching-te will visit Taipei's three remaining diplomatic allies in the Pacific on a trip starting at the end of the month, his office said on Friday, but the government declined to give details on U.S. transit stops.
        
        Taiwanese presidents usually use visits to allied countries to make what are officially stop-overs in the United States, Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier, which frequently anger Beijing.
        
        On two occasions in the past two years China staged military drills around Taiwan after presidential or vice-presidential stopovers in the United States.
        
        On those stopovers, Taiwanese presidents often meet with friendly politicians and give speeches. Reuters reported last week that Lai was planning to stop off in Hawaii and maybe the U.S. territory of Guam while he was in the Pacific.
        
        Asked repeatedly by reporters at a news conference for details on the stop overs, Deputy Taiwan Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang said they were in the planning stages and would be announced at an "appropriate time".
        
        Tien added, "But there is a principle, which is that they are handled with safety, dignity, convenience and comfort" in mind.