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

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 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.