Taiwan’s leader calls on China to refrain from threats ahead of expected military drills

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has called on China to “open its arms rather than raise its fists” as he wraps up his first overseas tour since taking office in May. His remarks at a news conference Friday in Palau came in response to widespread speculation that China will hold military drills around Taiwan in response to his trip. The trip, which included U.S. stops in Hawaii and Guam, took him into the heart of a maritime region where China is jockeying with the United States and its allies for influence and control. He also visited the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau.