This is Lai Ching-Te's first trip abroad since he took over the presidential post in May. The President is visiting the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau, with planned stopovers in Hawaii and the autonomous US territory of Guam.
The nations being visited are allies that recognize Taiwan as an independent state, while other Pacific nations have rejected this after Chinese promises of aid and investments.
In China, which is trying to assert that Taiwan is part of the mainland nation, the trip is not viewed with kind eyes. It serves as a reminder that Taiwan is not diplomatically isolated. The US-related stops are particularly infuriating.
The US is Taiwan's most important ally, even though Washington does not officially have diplomatic relations with Taipei. China has previously responded to similar events with threatening military exercises around Taiwan.
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