By Ben Blanchard
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan will not bow down to totalitarianism, President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday in the U.S. territory of Guam, calling Taiwan and the United States “brothers”.
Lai arrived in Guam, a major U.S. military base, late on Wednesday on what is officially only a one-night stopover as part of a tour of three Pacific island countries which maintain formal diplomatic ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan.
China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and whose military operates around the island on a daily basis, has condemned the United States for allowing his transit stops, which included two days in Hawaii at the start of the trip.
Addressing members of the overseas Taiwan community as well as Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Northern Mariana Islands Governor Arnold Palacios at a lunch, Lai said Taiwan’s path from the “darkness of dictatorship” to democracy was hard fought.
“I hope that all of our compatriots, no matter where you are, will make a joint commitment to continue to deepen our democracy and protect it, and that we will never bow down to totalitarianism, right?” Lai said, to applause, in comments carried live on Taiwan television stations.
Mentioning the victory of Taiwan’s baseball team at an international championship in Japan last month, Lai said he wanted to be “humble” and say that Taiwan beat the U.S. team on its way to the finals.
“Although we are brothers, when it comes to baseball you have to rely on strength,” he added.
Lai also thanked the United States for arranging his transits through both Guam and Hawaii.
Earlier in the day Lai had a breakfast meeting at the Guam governor’s residence.
“In the face of authoritarian expansionism all like minded countries and regions must unite and collaborate to safeguard democracy, peace and prosperity in the Indo Pacific region,” Lai told reporters at the residence, with a Taiwan flag behind him.
“Taiwan and Guam are both situated in the First Island Chain. Moving forward we must work closer together and stand side by side to safeguard peace and stability in the Indo Pacific region.”
The First Island Chain is a collection of archipelagos running roughly from Indonesia in an arc northeast to Japan, encompassing the South China Sea and East China Sea.
Guerrero thanked Taiwan for the resumption of direct flights from Taipei to Guam and other areas of cooperation.
“The opportunities for collaboration are limitless,” she said.
Unusually, Taiwan’s national anthem was played after the U.S. one before Lai and the governor addressed the media.
The United States, like most countries, does not officially recognise Taiwan’s government, although it is its strongest international backer and main source of weapons.
Lai will leave for Palau later on Thursday before returning to Taiwan late on Friday.
Lai and his government reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims, and say they have a right to travel and engage with the rest of the world. China says Taiwan is one of its provinces with no right to state-to-state ties.
(Reporting by Ben BlanchardEditing by Shri Navaratnam and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
