Taiwan president receives warm welcome in the islands

BY MAUREEN N. MARATITA
Journal Staff
and GIFF JOHNSON
Marshall Islands Correspondent

TUMON, Guam, KOROR, Palau and MAJURO, Marshall Islands — Taiwan president Lai Ching-te arrived in Guam on Dec. 4, no doubt buoyed by a warm welcome in Hawaii and the Marshall Islands on his way to the territory.

On arrival in Guam, Lai was met at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport, Guam by Gov. Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero. The flags of Taiwan, Guam and the United States were flying from flagpoles on Airport Road opposite the airport that evening.

Lai was met at the Hyatt Regency Guam by a welcome party of the Taiwanese community in Guam, which numbers about 2,000 people according to Journal files, and includes longstanding businesses in various sectors. The island has a Taipei Economic Development and Cultural Office, which will host a lunch for invited guests with the president on Dec. 5 at the Hyatt Regency Guam.

President Lai Ching-te arrives at the Hyatt Regency Guam. Photo by Justin Green

Guam has warm relations with Taiwan and has had a sister city relationship with Taipei City since 1973. Lt. Governor Joshua F. Tenorio has visited Taiwan. Former Gov. Edward B. Calvo visited several times and the two islands have exchanged trade missions. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios of the Northern Mariana Islands visited in November 2023.

President Tsai Ing-wen visited Guam twice, most recently in November 2017. She also visited the Marshall Islands during her 2017 trip to the region. President Ma Ying-Jeou visited Guam, Palau and the Marshall Islands in 2010; and President Chen Shui-bian visited Palau in 2007, according to Journal files.

Most recently, the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs donated $200,000 to the Guam Chapter of the American Red Cross through TECO in June 2023 to aid in Typhoon Mawar recovery, after the island was hit by the typhoon in May last year. China Airlines direct flights between Guam and Taipei resumed Nov. 28 and will continue to Feb. 1; United Airlines will launch service between Taipei and Guam on April 2.

In Hawaii, Lai was met by Gov. Joshua B. Green, who greeted him with an official lei, as well as Ingrid Larson, managing director in Washington of the American Institute in Taiwan, which represents U.S. interests and relations with Taiwan.

In his two-day stopover, Lai visited the East West Center – appropriately dressed in a Hawaiian-style shirt – and met with 100 invited guests, according to media reports. He was greeted by outgoing President Suzanne V. Lum, James Moriarty, former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan, among others, according to a release from the center. During his time in the state, Lai also attended a state dinner; guests included members of the Taiwanese community in Hawaii and he laid a wreath at the USS Arizona Memorial.

Lai launched his visit to Taiwan's three Pacific diplomatic allies with a visit to the Marshall Islands Dec 3. He departed the morning of Dec. 4 for Tuvalu.

During his visit to the Marshall Islands, Lai confirmed that Taiwan will support a concessional loan to support the purchase of two new aircraft for Air Marshall Islands, the national air carrier. Air Marshall Islands announced the week of Nov. 25 a plan to buy two new US-made Cessna SkyCourier aircraft at a cost estimated at $20 million.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te with President Hilda C. Heine at the state dinner in Majuro. Photo by Hilary Hosia

The two passenger-configured SkyCouriers will be deployed out of Majuro “to support intra-island travel,” Textron Aviation said on Nov. 21. See https://www.mbjguam.com/news-roundup-region

Lai also said Taiwan will expand its Taiwan Technical Mission, which provides agriculture and animal husbandry support, by building a pig slaughterhouse in 2025 to support food security needs in the country.

Lai was welcomed at the airport by President Hilda C. Heine and was greeted by Taiwanese flag-waving students as his motorcade headed from the airport to the parliament building.

The visit is attracting international attention, and the People’s Republic of China has already stated its displeasure, as expected. The United States will deliver $385 million in new weapons sales to Taiwan next year, according to the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which made the announcement prior to Lai’s tour of the Pacific, drawing further anger from Beijing. Lai is accompanied by more than 40 members of the media from Taiwan and from international news outlets.

Lai will continue to Palau, after his stay in Guam. President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. has ensured ongoing close ties with Taiwan, as well as a continuing U.S. military presence in his country. Palau has been a staunch ally of Taiwan, calling for Taiwan’s inclusion in international forums including the United Nations and World Health Organization.

Lai last visited Palau two years ago while he served as Taiwan’s vice president. It is anticipated that his visit to Palau this week will include several ceremonies to celebrate 25 years of diplomatic relations, as well as the completion of different projects such as the One Stop Center in Koror. The center will house different government agencies and services, including the Social Security Office, Ministry of Finance treasury office, Foreign Investment Board and others.

Palau receives millions of dollars in grants and technical assistance in various areas, including health, agriculture, climate change mitigation, ocean preservation, and border security.

For detailed earlier coverage on relations and the geopolitical situation, see https://www.mbjguam.com/building-bridges-taiwan-keeps-partners-close and https://www.mbjguam.com/taiwan-aims-tread-softly-be-prepared-future. mbj