Taiwan's president departed Saturday for his trip to the South Pacific that will include a two-day transit in the U.S., his first since assuming office, though few details about his itinerary were made public.

China urged the United States on Friday to exercise the "utmost caution" on relations with democratically governed Taiwan, ahead of a sensitive trip its President Lai Ching-te starts this week to both Hawaii and Guam,

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.