Lai thanks U.S. for transit stop in Hawaii; reiterates commitment to peace

Honolulu, Nov. 30 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Saturday expressed gratitude toward the United States for facilitating his transit stop in Hawaii, while reiterating a commitment to maintaining peace and preventing war in the Taiwan Strait.

Speaking during a banquet with members of the overseas Taiwanese community in Hawaii, Lai, who arrived earlier Saturday for two nights before visiting the nation's Pacific allies, thanked the U.S. government for facilitating his transit stop on American soil.

The president said he was especially delighted to make Hawaii the first stop of the visit.

Earlier Saturday, Lai visited the USS Arizona Memorial earlier and 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)."

"Our visit to the [USS Arizona] memorial today in particular reminds us of the importance of ensuring peace. Peace is priceless and war has no winner. We have to fight -- fight together -- to prevent war," Lai said in English.

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On the significance of visiting Hawaii, the president highlighted the Austronesian heritage shared by Taiwan and Hawaii. "We are like family."

"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.

Lai was speaking to a crowd of over 350 overseas Taiwanese and political figures in Hawaii, including Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, Congresspersons Ed Case, Jill Tokuda and around a dozen Hawaiian state senators and representatives.

Arrival in Hawaii

Lai arrived in Hawaii early Saturday for a two-day stopover in the U.S. 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.

Earlier Saturday, Lai's itinerary included visits to Bishop Museum, Hawaii's museum of natural history and Native Hawaiian culture, and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

At the museum, Lai was welcomed by Museum Director Manu Kaiama and President Dee Jay Mailer. President Lai was then led on a guided tour of exhibits featuring Pacific Ocean maps, cultural artifacts relating to Taiwan's indigenous peoples, and maps of the migrations of Austronesian peoples across Oceania.

At the end of the visit, Lai witnessed a gift-giving ceremony between Taiwan's Indigenous affairs minister Ljaucu‧Zingrur and President Mailer of Bishop Museum, and accepted the gift of a lei hulu (feather lei) from Mailer as a symbol of friendship between Taiwan and Hawaii.

During his visit to the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Lai was accompanied by Governor Josh Green. Both exchanged views on how to facilitate bilateral cooperation in preventing natural disasters.

According to the Presidential Office, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense and Hawaii Department of Defense have held regular joint disaster prevention and relief drills since 2017.

Lai's predecessor Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) visited the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency in March 2019 during a transit stopover.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Governor Green described meeting Lai as "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," Green said.

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 that has 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.