Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te received a warm welcome in Hawaii, marking the start of his Pacific tour despite protests from China. Lai emphasized the need for unity to prevent war and described his journey as a new era for democracy. His visit, the first stop in a week-long tour that includes the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau—Taiwan’s only allies in the region—has drawn ire from Beijing, which vehemently opposes Taiwan’s international legitimacy and U.S. arms sales to the island.

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