Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Hawaii for a two-day transit in the U.S. as part of a trip to the South Pacific.

Taiwan's partnership with the United States is a source of strength for the high-tech industry, including the semiconductor sector, and shows the island is a trusted and reliable partner, President Lai Ching-te told a think-tank in Hawaii.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s brief stop in Hawaii may have appeared understated – no formal US reception, no grand speeches – but its implications extend far beyond floral wreaths and banquets.