Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s upcoming trip to the Pacific Islands is set to further escalate tensions with China, particularly due to the planned inclusion of a transit stop in US territory, Bloomberg reports.
The details of this transit remain undisclosed, but the very possibility has sparked concerns.
Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang confirmed Friday that President Lai will visit the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau from November 30th to December 6. While pressed on reports of a US transit, Tien stated that the arrangements are “still being carefully planned,” declining to elaborate.
Any stop on US soil would undoubtedly infuriate China, which views Taiwan as a breakaway province to be reclaimed, by force if necessary. Beijing already opposes any engagement between countries it has diplomatic relations with – including the United States – and Taiwanese officials. China has conducted significant military exercises near Taiwan twice since President Lai’s inauguration in May.
The trip comes at a critical juncture in US-China relations. President Biden’s impending departure from office, following repeated assertions of US defense of Taiwan against a Chinese invasion, adds uncertainty to the long-standing US policy of strategic ambiguity. The return of Donald Trump to the presidential race further complicates the situation, casting doubt on the continuity of this policy and raising the stakes in this already volatile geopolitical flashpoint.
