Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine on Monday reaffirmed her support for robust relations with Taiwan at her inauguration in Majuro, with dignitaries from around the world, including Taiwan, attending the ceremony.
Messages of congratulations were read out at the ceremony, including from President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), and representatives from the Federated States of Micronesia, Japan, Palau and the US, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a press release.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang (田中光), who attended the inauguration as a special envoy of Tsai, said the two countries share the values of democracy and freedom, with both having just conducted national elections.
Photo: CNA
Heine reaffirmed the 26 years of strong ties between the two nations, adding that her administration would continue to cherish the long-standing friendship, MOFA said.
Heine also once again congratulated Vice President William Lai (賴清德) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on winning the presidential election on Jan. 13 and praised Taiwan as a model of democracy, MOFA added.
Heine was elected president on Jan. 2 by a 17-16 margin over David Kabua, who ousted Heine in 2020 after her previous stint as president from 2016 to 2020 by a 20-12 vote plus one abstention.
In the Marshall Islands, presidents are chosen by the country’s 33 parliamentarians, who are selected by the electorate.
During his stay, Tien also met with top Marshall Islands officials, including Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kalani Kaneko, Minister of Natural Resources and Commerce Anthony Muller, Minister in Assistance Bremity Lakjohn and Minister of Justice and Immigration Wisely Zackhras, to discuss cooperation projects, MOFA said.
Tien also witnessed the delivery of 60 tonnes of rice donated by Taiwan to the Pacific island nation during a ceremony, it said.
Tien and his delegation were scheduled to return to Taiwan later yesterday, it said.
Tien’s delegation departed Taiwan on Wednesday last week, two days after Nauru, about 1,000km southwest of the Marshall Islands, announced that it was severing ties with Taiwan to recognize the People’s Republic of China.
In related news, senior officials in Tuvalu have denied reports that the Pacific island country would sever ties with Taiwan, MOFA East Asia and Pacific Affairs Deputy Director-General Eric Chen (陳俊吉) said.
In an article in the Weekend Australian on Friday last week, Tuvaluan Ambassador to Taiwan Bikenibeu Paeniu was cited as saying that “sources from Tuvalu” had told him that the country could follow Nauru and switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing after Tuvalu’s elections on Friday.
The former Tuvaluan prime minister called on Australia and its allies and partners to closely watch the situation and to step up their support for his nation.
MOFA and Taiwan’s embassy in Tuvalu reached out to Tuvalu’s government and Paeniu for clarification.
Tuvalu’s government said that Paeniu’s controversial statement did not represent the country’s official stance, and it affirmed that its diplomatic relations with Taiwan remained strong.
Meanwhile, a diplomatic source speaking on condition of anonymity told reporters yesterday that Paeniu told MOFA that his source on the potential diplomatic switch was originally from Nauru.
Given that Nauru had just established diplomatic ties with China, the source said it was highly likely that Nauru was working closely with Beijing to spread disinformation to put more pressure on Taipei.
The source added that MOFA and Taiwan’s embassy in Tuvalu have continued to maintain cordial relations with all 16 Tuvaluan parliamentarians across party lines.
Except for one or two members considered to be more pro-China, a large majority of Tuvalu’s parliamentarians have all agreed to continue to maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the source said.
It is therefore believed that Taiwan-Tuvalu ties would remain unchanged whoever wins the general election and becomes the next prime minister of Tuvalu, the source said.
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