Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te was feted with red carpets, garlands of flowers and “alohas” as he kicked off his two-day stopover in Hawaii on Saturday, part of a Pacific tour that has sparked fiery rhetoric from Beijing.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has responded to Lai’s first overseas trip as president with threats to “resolutely crush” any attempt for independence.
Looking relaxed in a Hawaiian shirt, Lai flitted around the US island state, visiting a Pacific island history museum, an emergency management centre and the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbour.
Earlier, he was given the “red carpet treatment” on the tarmac of Honolulu’s international airport, according to his office, which said it was the first time a Taiwanese president had been given such a welcome.
He was met by Ingrid Larson, managing director in Washington of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Hawaii Governor Josh Green, and others.
At every turn, Lai was presented with garlands of brightly coloured flowers or leaves known as leis, greetings of “aloha”, and other Hawaiian gifts.
In the evening, Lai received a standing ovation as he walked down a red carpet for a dinner with US government officials and Taiwanese people living abroad.
In his first public speech of the week-long trip, Lai said he was “grateful” to the United States for its assistance in helping to ensure the success of the tour.
The chairperson of the AIT, the body that serves as the de facto US embassy in Taiwan, said the partnership between Washington and Taipei was “rock solid”.
“The opportunity for you to engage with thought leaders, the diaspora’s community and state and local leaders is invaluable, and I know will contribute to further strengthening the rock solid US-Taiwan partnership,” Laura Rosenberger said in a pre-recorded video played at the dinner.
Beijing opposes any international recognition of Taiwan and its claim to be a sovereign state and especially bristles at official contact between the island and the United States.
Like most countries, Washington does not recognize Taiwan diplomatically but is its most important backer and biggest supplier of arms.
In a statement, China’s foreign ministry said it “strongly condemns” the United States for Lai’s stopover and that it had “lodged serious protests with the US”.