Taiwan President Lai Ching-te reportedly spoke to US House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday (Dec. 4) after transiting through Hawaii and the US territory of Guam as part of his Pacific tour.
The Wednesday afternoon call is reportedly the first direct conversation between Lai and Johnson, said sources who spoke with VOA on the condition of anonymity. Lai’s stopovers in Hawaii and Guam come as he hopes to gather support from President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration, the report said.
Johnson had congratulated Lai after his presidential win in January and renewed the US’ commitment to Indo-Pacific security. VOA reported that former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also spoke separately with Lai, conveying steadfast, bipartisan support for Taiwan.
Lai’s seven-day Pacific tour included Hawaii, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Guam, and Palau. The Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau comprise three of the 12 countries that retain formal diplomatic ties with Taipei.
Taiwan presidents often use what are officially only stopovers in the US, such as Hawaii and Guam, to meet friendly US politicians and deliver speeches.
China blasted the US for “arranging” Lai’s stopover in Hawaii. Beijing accused Washington of interfering in its “internal affairs” and said it firmly opposes any official exchanges between the US and Taiwan.
However, a State Department spokesperson told VOA, “Every democratically elected Taiwan president has transited the United States.” The spokesperson said US policy toward Taiwan has been consistent for the past 45 years, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three US-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances.
These agreements, which lay the foundation of the US “One China” policy, contain no parts prohibiting a Taiwan president from stopping over in the US, officials added.