Taiwan's Lai discusses 'China threats' with ex-US House Speaker Pelosi
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The 20-minute call between Lai and Pelosi was described by Taiwanese presidential spokeswoman Karen Kuo as "warm and amicable."
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Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te arrives at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii, on November 30, 2024. (AFP)
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te addressed "China's military threats" toward the island during a call with former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday, according to his spokeswoman in Hawaii.
The conversation marked Lai's first stop on a Pacific tour that has drawn strong objections from Beijing. Pelosi's long-established support for Taiwan has long angered China, which responded to her 2022 visit to Taipei with extensive military drills surrounding the island.
The 20-minute call between Lai and Pelosi was described by presidential spokeswoman Karen Kuo as "warm and amicable." The two were referred to as "long-time friends" in Kuo's statement.
China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, opposes any international recognition of the island or its assertion of sovereignty. Beijing is particularly sensitive to official interactions between Taiwan and the United States, its most critical supporter and largest arms supplier.
China has already expressed strong disapproval of recent US arms sales to Taiwan and Lai's stopover in Hawaii, where he was greeted with red carpets, floral garlands, and traditional "alohas".
During his visit to Hawaii, Lai met with Governor Josh Green, members of the US Congress, officials from the de facto US embassy in Taiwan, and other representatives.
In a public address on Saturday, Lai emphasized the need to "fight together to prevent war," cautioning that there are "no winners in conflict."
Ahead of Lai's trip, the United States approved a proposed $385 million arms package for Taiwan, including spare parts for F-16 fighter jets, radar systems, and communications equipment.
China's Foreign Ministry over the weekend called on the US to "immediately stop arming Taiwan and stop abetting and supporting 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces." Beijing also vowed to take "strong and resolute countermeasures to firmly defend national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity."
In a separate statement, the Ministry "strongly" condemned Lai's stopover and confirmed it had lodged a formal protest with Washington.
Lai's remarks come in the wake of China's recent threats to "resolutely crush" any push for Taiwanese independence, coinciding with the impending inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in January.
During his campaign, Trump stirred concerns by proposing that Taiwan should financially compensate the United States for its defense support and accusing the island of undermining the US semiconductor industry.
Following his Hawaii stop, Lai is set to visit Taiwan's allies in the Pacific—the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau—the only Pacific island nations among the 12 countries that still formally recognize Taiwan's sovereignty. Lai will conclude his trip with a one-night stopover in the US territory of Guam.
