Taiwan’s president arrives in Hawaii for a 2-day stop in the US as part of South Pacific visit

Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Hawaii for a two-day transit in the U.S. as part of a trip to the South Pacific. The stopover in Hawaii and one planned for the territory of Guam have drawn fierce criticism from China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory. China objects to official exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S., the island’s biggest backer and military provider. Lai left on a weeklong trip to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau — three diplomatic allies of the self-governed island. It’s unclear whether Lai will meet with any members of the incoming Trump administration.