Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te has embarked on a diplomatic tour of three Pacific nations, with stopovers in the U.S. territories of Hawaii and Guam. His visits have sparked considerable attention and controversy, particularly due to interactions with former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Analysts suggest that Lai’s primary aim is to transit through the U.S., using the opportunity to engage with American politicians and rally support for his secession agenda, which is strongly opposed by the Chinese mainland.
“Lai Ching-te’s transit through the U.S. is another attempt to push his independence agenda by leaning on American support,” said Wang Ran, president of the Sydney Association for China’s Peaceful Reunification. “The firm determination of the Chinese government and the Chinese people to safeguard peace in the Taiwan Strait is something no one can undermine.”
Officials on the island had advised against such visits during the transition period, warning that such stopovers could be seen as a destabilizing gesture, provoking unnecessary tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
Critics also point out that his stopover in the U.S. came at the cost of significant expenditure. In late October, the U.S. approved a new round of arms sales to Taiwan, worth nearly $20 billion, marking the 17th such deal under the Joe Biden administration. Reports suggest that Lai is considering larger-scale military procurement from the U.S., potentially exceeding $15 billion to bolster the region’s defense capabilities.
“Traveling thousands of extra kilometers for a meaningless so-called transit is absurd. It wastes public funds, undermines China-U.S. relations, and violates the one-China principle,” said Yuan Juzheng, a Taiwan political commentator. “Lai’s actions will not win genuine international support.”
Public sentiment in Taiwan is divided over the region’s military interactions with the U.S. A recent poll by a Taiwan public opinion foundation showed that a majority of people in Taiwan disapprove of the idea of paying “protection fees” to the U.S., a notion popularized by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump during his campaign.
Additionally, younger residents of Taiwan are increasingly concerned that Lai’s policies toward the Chinese mainland could lead to conflict. A survey found that nearly half of respondents aged 18 to 29 fear that Lai’s cross-strait policies could bring Taiwan closer to war.
Domestic critics, including New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi, have also expressed concerns over Lai’s stance on cross-strait relations. Hou advocates for continued communication and exchanges between the two sides to ensure peace and stability, emphasizing that mutual understanding is key to maintaining stability across the Taiwan Strait.
China has strongly opposed Lai’s U.S. stopover, reiterating its commitment to the one-China principle. Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Taiwan Affairs Office have issued stern warnings, condemning Lai’s actions as an attempt to advance a secession agenda and warning the U.S. against sending any “wrong signals” to Taiwan secessionists.
“The Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.
He urged the U.S. to fully see the separatist nature of Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party authorities, fully understand the grave damage of Taiwan secession activities to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, fully abide by the one-China principle, and stop meddling in affairs related to Taiwan, which are China’s internal affairs.
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Experts say Lai's U.S. stopover aimed at pushing his secession agenda
cgtn.com
