Taiwan President Lai Ching-te will visit Hawaii and the US territory of Guam during an upcoming trip to the Pacific, prompting condemnations from China, which could respond by staging a fresh round of military drills near the island democracy.

Lai Ching-te’s trip has already drawn condemnation from Beijing and could spur China to stage military drills in response.

After his visit to Hawaii, Lai will make flying visits to the Republic of Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, with a brief stopover in the US territory of Guam along the way.

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te will stop over in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam during a trip to the Pacific, his office said Thursday, eliciting a fresh vow from China to "resolutely crush" any attempts for Taiwan independence.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te will stop over in Hawaii and Guam during his trip to the South Pacific, drawing criticism from China.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te arrived in Hawaii Saturday to begin his first trip overseas since his inauguration, and is expected to spend two nights at the Kahala Hotel before continuing on to visit the three Pacific island nations with which his country still has direct diplomatic ties.

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. The stopover in Hawaii and one planned for the territory of Guam have drawn fierce criticism from China,

Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-Te touched down in Hawaii over the weekend and spoke by phone with former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as China slammed the U.S. for the visit and for selling weapons parts to Taipei.

Taiwan's president visited a U.S. State Department-funded think tank and educational institution Sunday on the second day of a two-day visit to Hawaii that's part of a Pacific island tour that has already triggered criticism from Beijing.