The nation's newly forged ties with Vanuatu remained mired in confusion yesterday, with Taiwanese officials insisting that relations have not been altered despite reports of a Cabinet statement from the South Pacific nation saying ties with Taiwan would be revoked.
"Our officials in Vanuatu spoke with the Prime Minister [Serge Vohor] this morning [Friday]. Vohor had assured them that nothing had changed and that they needed some time," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Michel Lu (
According to Lu, discussion of Vanuatu's ties with both Taiwan and China will come up again on Monday during a parliamentary session in Port Vila.
The Associated Press (AP) reported yesterday that Vohor had caved in to pressure from his Cabinet to abandon a deal granting diplomatic recognition to Taiwan. The report said "`Vohor's Council of Minsters had voted to `unilaterally and unequivocally revoke all agreements and undertakings ... made on behalf of Vanuatu,' a Cabinet statement said" late Thursday.
"Logically, it makes no sense to say the Cabinet agreed to a resolution on the matter, as there is still disagreement in the Cabinet," Lu said, saying that China had been spreading rumors about the Cabinet's decision to back the "one China" principle.
Lu also said that the ministry was on top of the debacle in the tiny South Pacific nation, saying that they had spoken with Vanuatuan government spokesman Kalvau Moli who had denied reports that ties with Taiwan would be dissolved.
"Our flag is still flying high in Vanuatu," Lu said.
The AP reported that Moli had said that the premier "will go by the decision ... the verdict of the Council of Ministers" and break his agreement to recognize Taiwan.
The report further said that Vanuatu's ministers said they "will request the Peoples' Republic of China to consider providing budgetary assistance" to Vanuatu.
"In a letter to the Chinese government dated Nov. 6, and published Friday in a local newspaper, Vohor said that `Taiwan has recently indicated its commitment to provide US$20 million budgetary support annually for five years to the Vanuatu government,'" the report said.
"It's their culture. They are Melanesian and would rather avoid confrontation. They prefer to sit down and discuss the matter," Lu said, saying some more time would be needed to resolve the controversy.
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
MEET AND GREET: The White House, which called the interaction ‘just a handshake,’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Biden planned to visit Taiwan’s envoy to the APEC summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), on Friday invited US President Joe Biden to visit Taiwan. During the APEC Leaders’ Informal Dialogue, Lin, who represented President William Lai (賴清德) at the summit, spoke with Biden and expressed gratitude to the outgoing US president for his contribution to improving bilateral ties between Taipei and Washington over the past four years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Lin and Biden exchanged views during the conversation, with Lin extending an invitation to Biden to visit Taiwan, it said. Biden is to step down in January next year, when US president-elect Donald Trump is
RSS