Tuvalu foreign minister Simon Kofe instead explicitly expressed support for Taiwan and said his country was working to set up a group uniting Taiwan’s remaining four allies in the Pacific. “Tuvalu and Taiwan diplomatic ties are strongest they’ve ever been,” Kofe told Reuters in an interview in Taipei. “We believe in the power of grouping together and collaborating,” he added, referring to the Marshall Islands, Palau and Nauru as well as Tuvalu. Tuvalu’s support comes just two months after fellow Pacific island nations Kiribati and Solomon Islands switched their diplomatic recognition to China. Taiwan clamed that Kiribati was lured by Beijing with the promise of airplanes, while the Solomons was offered development funds.

Source: National Post November 21, 2019 05:37 UTC