William Lai's first foreign tour: Taiwan attempts to strengthen its position ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration amid PRC military aggression

Taiwanese President William Lai made his first overseas tour after taking office from November 30 to December 6, 2024.

His itinerary included Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu, states that formally recognize Taiwan but not China, the state of Hawaii, and the American unincorporated territory of Guam. It was the 30th international trip by a Taiwanese leader since 1994 and included a "transit stop" in the United States.

William Lai's route, which corresponds to the geography of all three US island chains, was intended to strengthen Taiwan's international position on the eve of the inauguration of the newly elected US President Donald Trump.

Taipei, in particular, hoped that the stops in Hawaii and Guam, the American "strongholds" in the Pacific, would send a message to other US partners that Joe Biden and Donald Trump had reached a consensus on Taiwan's further integration into the global security system.