President William Lai (賴清德) was feted with red carpets, garlands of flowers and “alohas” as he began his two-day stopover in Hawaii on Saturday, part of a Pacific tour.
Looking relaxed in a Hawaiian shirt, Lai flitted around the US island state, visiting the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Hawaii’s leading museum of natural history and native Hawaiian culture, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor.
Lai was given the “red carpet treatment” on the tarmac of Honolulu’s international airport, his office said, adding that it was the first time a Taiwanese president had been given such a welcome.
Photo: Screen grab from a video on the Presidential Office’s Web site
Lai was welcomed by Ingrid Larson, managing director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Hawaii Governor Josh Green, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Honolulu Police Department chief Arthur Logan.
At every turn, Lai was presented with garlands of brightly colored flowers or leaves known as leis, greetings of “aloha” and other Hawaiian gifts. At the museum, Bishop Museum chief executive officer Dee Jay Mailer presented Lai with a red lei hulu, or feather garland, made by master featherwork artist Kawika Lum-Nelmida.
Lai gave Mailer a headdress made by Taiwan’s indigenous Paiwan people, and neck and shoulder decorative pieces made by indigenous Atayal people.
Photo: AFP
During his visit to the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Lai was accompanied by Green. They exchanged views on how to facilitate bilateral cooperation in preventing natural disasters.
Green in a post on X said meeting Lai is “a momentous occasion.”
“As leaders with medical backgrounds, Lai and I discussed how our experiences in healthcare informs our governance, prioritizing the well-being of our communities,” he added.
Photo: Chen Yun, Taipei Times
When visiting the USS Arizona Memorial, Lai laid a wreath in memory of those who died in the 1941 Japanese attack. The wreath came with a line saying: “In Honor of the Fallen Heroes: President Lai Ching-te, Republic of China (Taiwan).”
In the evening, Lai received a standing ovation as he walked down a red carpet for a banquet with overseas Taiwanese compatriots and political figures in Hawaii, including Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, congresspersons Ed Case and Jill Tokuda, and about a dozen Hawaiian state senators and representatives.
In his first public speech of the week-long trip, Lai, referring to his visit to the USS Arizona Memorial earlier in the day, said: “Our visit to the memorial today in particular reminds us of the importance of ensuring peace.”
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office
“Peace is priceless and war has no winner. We have to fight — fight together — to prevent war,” Lai said in English.
Lai said he was “grateful” to the US for its assistance in helping to ensure the success of the tour, adding that the US flag and Hawaii state flag given to him as a gift “symbolise the longstanding friendship between Taiwan and the US and lays the foundation for further cooperation in the future.”
On the significance of visiting Hawaii, Lai cited the Austronesian heritage shared by Taiwan and Hawaii. “We are like family,” he said.
Photo: CNA
“Both Hawaii and Taiwan are also beautiful islands that face challenges from natural disasters, and I look forward to deepening our exchanges in various areas,” he added.
In his speech, Lai also switched to Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese) and said that by uniting together, all difficulties could be overcome.
“Taiwan’s democracy can become a model for the international community,” he said.
AIT Chair Laura Rosenberger 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,” Rosenberger said in a pre-recorded video played at the dinner.
Lai’s trip follows the US’ approval on Friday of a proposed sale to Taiwan of spare parts for F-16s and radar systems, as well as communications equipment, in deals valued at US$385 million in total.
The trip comes as US president-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office in January. After Hawaii, Lai is to visit Taiwan’s allies the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, with another stopover in the US territory of Guam. Hawaii and Guam are home to large US military bases.
The seven-day trip to the South Pacific is Lai’s first official overseas visit since assuming office in May.
As Lai was attending the event in Hawaii, China said it had complained to Washington for arranging for his transit through US territory, while vowing “resolute countermeasures” against the potential arms sale to Taiwan that the US announced hours before Lai started his trip.
Security sources said that China could launch a new round of war games around Taiwan in response to his visit.
China has staged two rounds of major war games around Taiwan so far this year.
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