President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) is leading a delegation on a Smart and Sustainable Development for a Prosperous Austronesian Region Tour (繁榮南島 智慧永續) to allied nations in the Pacific, including the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau. The trip also included stops in Hawaii and Guam, which triggered reporters at a press conference this Friday to question whether or not it could be the catalyst for potential Chinese military exercises.
In Palau on Friday, Lai stated that he had noticed authoritarian countries in the Indo-Pacific region teaming up, and cited the military cooperation between China and Russia as well as North Korea sending troops to Russia as examples of how a shadow has been cast on the region. According to Lai, there is a very close understanding among allies, who share the same beliefs and work together to ensure regional security and stability.
When presented with the question of whether or not he is concerned that China will take diplomatic or military actions in response to the successful diplomatic trip, Lai responded by saying that the Taiwanese people have the right to be more actively involved in the world by contributing to the international community and enhancing cooperations. He said that the Taiwanese people should act on this right, and these actions should not be regarded as provocative.
Lai additionally called on democratic countries to be more united in the face of such authoritarian countries to ensure global and regional stability and development. He emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to fulfilling its regional responsibilities, strengthening its defenses, ensuring its sovereignty, and working alongside other countries to stabilize the situation. Lai expressed his hopes that China will cease unilateral operations that bring uneasiness and regret.