China considers Taiwan – which broke away in 1949 following the Chinese Civil War – to be part of its own territory, and opposes any diplomatic engagement with it by other countries.
The US has long maintained a deliberately ambiguous policy towards the island, declining to recognise its independence but maintaining informal relations with its government.
Speaking before his departure for Hawaii, Lai said the trip marked “the beginning of a new era of value-based diplomacy”.
“Democracy, prosperity and peace are the expectations of the people of Taiwan, and they are also the values that I, as president, must actively promote,” he said.
He said he wanted to show the world that Taiwan is “not only a model of democracy, but also a key force in promoting global peace, stability, and prosperity”.
Speaking at a dinner on Saturday attended by state officials, members of Congress, and Taiwanese residents of Hawaii, he added that a visit that day to Pearl Harbour – whose bombing by Japan in 1941 brought the US into the Second World War – had served as a reminder of “the importance of ensuring peace”.
“Peace is priceless, and war has no winners. We have to fight, fight together to prevent war,” he said.
The rest of the trip will see Lai visit Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau, the only Pacific island nations among the 12 countries that recognise Taiwan’s independence. He will also stop for one night in the US territory of Guam.
In a statement ahead of the trip, a spokesperson for the Chinese defence ministry said China would “firmly oppose official interaction with China’s Taiwan region in any form” and “resolutely crush” attempts secure Taiwanese independence.
