The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to give funding originally intended for the Solomon Islands and Kiribati to Taiwan’s remaining four Pacific allies, a diplomatic source said.
Taiwan cut diplomatic ties with the Solomon Islands and Kiribati on Monday and Friday, respectively, after the two countries switched allegiance to China.
Taiwan now has 15 diplomatic allies.
Photo: EPA-EFE/Ritchie B. Tongo
The source, who asked to remain anonymous, last week said that the ministry had sent its budget proposal for next year to the Legislative Yuan in late August and is awaiting lawmakers’ approval.
Asked about the budget originally earmarked for the two countries, the source said the money is expected to be used to solidify ties with Taiwan’s remaining Pacific allies, but did not disclose the exact amount to be reallocated.
Taiwan still has four Pacific allies: the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau and Tuvalu.
Nauru and Tuvalu have just elected new political leaders, while Palau and the Marshall Islands are soon to hold general elections, the source said.
A major shift in power could affect their relationship with Taiwan, the source said, adding that the ministry needs all the resources it has to solidify ties with the four.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Friday said that ties with the remaining Pacific allies are very close and he sees no reason to worry.
The ministry’s budget proposal for next year stands at NT$28.2 billion (US$910 million), a NT$2.2 billion increase from a year earlier.
The increase is mainly to be used for foreign aid projects in response to Beijing’s campaign to lure Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, the ministry said.
The budget is to be used to provide assistance to diplomatic allies through bilateral cooperation projects that boost construction of infrastructure, and education and training programs, it said.
Taiwan has lost seven diplomatic allies to China since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) assumed office in May 2016.
Beijing has taken a hardline stance on cross-strait relations since Tsai refused to accept the so-called “1992 consensus.”
The “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000, refers to a tacit understanding between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese government that both sides of the Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
However, Beijing has never publicly recognized the second part of the consensus.
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