President Lai arrives in Hawaii before visiting South Pacific allies

Honolulu, Nov. 30 (CNA) Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) arrived in Hawaii on Saturday for a two-day stopover in the United States as part of his first overseas trip to diplomatic allies in the South Pacific since taking office.

Upon his arrival at the airport in Honolulu, Lai was welcomed by Ingrid Larson, managing director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which represents U.S. interests in Taiwan in the absence of official diplomatic ties.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, and Honolulu Police Department chief Arthur J. Logan were also present to greet Lai.

Lai's itinerary for Saturday includes visits to Bishop Museum, Hawaii's museum of natural history and Native Hawaiian culture, and the Hawai'i Emergency Management Agency. He will also attend a banquet with members of the Taiwanese community in Hawaii.

Lai will spend two nights in Hawaii before traveling to the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, two of Taiwan's diplomatic allies in the South Pacific.

On his return journey, the president will transit through Guam for a one-day stopover before heading to Palau, another country with formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, on Dec. 5. He will return to Taiwan on Dec. 6.

The seven-day trip to the South Pacific is Lai's first official overseas visit since assuming office in May.