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Taiwan Extends China Tour Ban

Taiwan-China flag


This decision deviates from the November 2023 resolution, permitting local travel agencies to arrange trip schedules for tour groups to China starting March 1, 2024….reports Asian Lite News

This decision marks a departure from the November 2023 resolution, which allowed local travel agencies to begin arranging trip schedules for tour groups to China starting March 1, 2024

Taiwan’s Tourism Administration announced on Wednesday its decision to uphold a three-year ban on Taiwanese tour groups travelling to China, citing Beijing’s failure to reciprocate by sending Chinese group tourists as reported by Central News Agency Taiwan.

“The original plan will no longer proceed considering changes in the current situation and factors such as travel safety for Taiwanese nationals,” stated the administration in a release.

This decision marks a departure from the November 2023 resolution, which allowed local travel agencies to begin arranging trip schedules for tour groups to China starting March 1, 2024, as reported by Central News Agency.

Originally, Transportation Minister Wang Kwo-tsai had announced during a November plenary session of the Legislature that the Cabinet would lift cross-strait travel restrictions by the Lunar New Year, to take effect in March.

According to Central News Agency, the government’s decision to permit Taiwanese tour groups to visit China would also entail the reopening of Taiwan’s borders to tour groups from China, added Wang.

Wang’s statements represented a shift in the government’s stance expressed in May 2023 and a statement by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), Taiwan’s top government agency overseeing cross-Taiwan Strait affairs, in late August.

On May 19, when Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, announced that Chinese travel agencies could resume business involving receiving Taiwanese group tourists immediately, Taipei did not respond positively.

Instead, then Tourism Bureau chief Chang Shi-chung stated that regulations on group travel should be negotiated through existing channels–the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association and its Chinese counterpart, the Association for Tourism Exchange Across the Taiwan Straits–although Taiwan welcomed China’s announcement.

The Tourism Administration stated on Wednesday that the planned policy had to be canceled because “the time is not yet right to resume our travel agency’s group tours to China.”

The administration cited China’s reluctance to proceed with the reciprocal arrangement and expressed concerns about flight safety due to China’s recent unilateral adjustment of its flight path close to the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

China terminated an “offset measure” for the southbound operation of the M503 flight path, which is west of the median line of the Taiwan Strait, on February 1, and initiated eastbound operation of routes W122 and W123, connecting M503 with Fuzhou and Xiamen cities in Fujian Province. (ANI)

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Guatemala balances China trade, Taiwan diplomacy

Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that Arevalo had recently reaffirmed his government’s wish to maintain its diplomatic recognition with Taiwan…reports Asian Lite News

Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Tuesday said that the new Guatemalan government’s intention to develop trade ties with China does not conflict with the country’s policy of maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Focus Taiwan reported citing Central News Agency (CNA).

In a statement, Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the remarks made by Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez in an interview regarding trade ties with China did not come as a surprise, CNA reported citing Reuters.

It said that the Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo-led government has consistently maintained a policy of maintaining the country’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan while also developing trade ties with China.

Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that Arevalo had recently reaffirmed his government’s wish to maintain its diplomatic recognition with Taiwan when the allied leader met with Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu at his inauguration ceremony held on January 14.

Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jaushieh Joseph Wu, attended the inauguration of Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo and Vice President Karin Herrera and related events on January 14, according to the statement released by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It further said that Taiwan will continue to bolster closer cooperation and exchanges with Guatemala under the leadership of Bernardo Arevalo and his new administration to further strengthen bilateral ties.

Carlos Ramiro Martinez said while Guatemala will continue to work with Taiwan “at the levels we have doing,” Arevalo “has pointed out that we cannot ignore the weight and power China represents.”

He said, “We are interested in approaching them to try and develop some relationship around trade,” adding that this could materialise as an “office of trade interests” that would help find a Chinese market for Guatemalan products, Central News Agency reported citing Reuters report.

He said, “We are making it public – this is not an ambush against Taiwan or the United States.” Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that Martinez’s latest remarks are consistent with Bernardo Arevalo’s stance.

After his election victory in August, Bernardo Arevalo said he had no intention to modify the status of his country’s diplomatic relations with Taiwan and added that he also wants to improve ties with China.

He said it was “perfectly feasible to have good relations with both the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan.” At the time, Arevalo said, “Guatemala’s private sector is interested in expanding relations with China, which counts the Central American country as its main trade partner in the region,” CNA reported citing Reuters.

It remains to be seen how Arevalo’s new government will manage to maintain ties with China and Taiwan, considering China sees Taiwan as part of its territory and has made it a precondition for a foreign country to cut diplomatic relations with Taipei before it can have closer ties with Beijing. Notably, Guatemala and Belize are the only nations in Central America to maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan. (ANI)

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US Funds Taiwan’s Missiles

These missiles are integral component of an arms sale package sanctioned by Washington in June 2017…reports Asian Lite News

The United States Department of Defence (DoD) has recently allocated a contract worth 68.4 million USD to an American company for the construction of 50 advanced air-to-ground missiles slated for delivery to Taiwan over the next four years, as reported by Central News Agency Taiwan which cited information from the Department of Defence (DoD).

These missiles, an integral component of an arms sale package sanctioned by Washington in June 2017, are intended for deployment on Taiwan’s fleet of F-16V fighter jets to bolster their long-range strike capabilities, according to a release on the website dated Feb. 2.

According to CNA Taiwan, as part of the 68.4 million USD contract under the aegis of the DoD, a division of the American aerospace and defence conglomerate RTX Corp. will manufacture the 50 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) Air-to-Ground Missiles for distribution to Taiwan’s government within a four-year timeline, according to the announcement.

The bulk of the production will be centered in Tucson, Arizona, where Raytheon Missiles & Defence (RMD) operates, with an anticipated completion date of March 2028, the statement added.

The Air-to-Ground Missile (AGM-154) weighs 1,000 pounds and serves as a precision strike weapon capable of carrying various lethal payloads. It has been integrated into several U.S.-manufactured fighter jets, including Taiwan’s F-16 fleet, as per Focus Taiwan

With a standoff range spanning from 12 to 63 nautical miles, the missile can be launched from beyond the range of enemy point defences while effectively engaging and neutralizing targets.

Upon completion, the missiles will be delivered to Taiwan as part of the 2017 arms sale package, valued at 185.5 million USD. The package encompasses JSOW integration, dummy training missiles, missile containers, spare parts, support and test equipment, Joint Mission Planning System updates, and other technical and logistical support services.

Taiwan’s Air Force recently concluded the upgrade of all 141 of its F-16A/B fighter jets to F-16Vs, equipped with advanced avionics such as the APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar, helmet-mounted cueing system, and other flight management and electronic warfare systems.

Furthermore, Taiwan initiated the acceptance of a purchase order for 66 new F-16Vs from the US last year. (ANI)

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Lunar debut: Taiwan’s inaugural mission set for launch later this year

Deep space, over 2,000 kilometres from Earth, presents harsh radiation conditions, impacting both life forms and technological products…reports Asian Lite News

Taiwan’s National Central University announced the country’s first lunar mission on Monday, revealing that a Deep Space Radiation Probe (DSRP) developed by its faculty and students is scheduled to launch in Japan as early as the fourth quarter of this year, Central News Agency Taiwan reported on Monday.

Deep space, over 2,000 kilometres from Earth, presents harsh radiation conditions, impacting both life forms and technological products, according to Loren Chang, chair of the Department of Space Science and Engineering at National Central University.

The DSRP weighs 400 grams and is slightly larger than the size of a hand. It is designed to study the radiation environment in deep space and its impact on technology from its four-month journey to the moon, providing a reference for future space missions and the design of space and electronic products.

Central News Agency Taiwan reported that after successful ground tests, demonstrating radiation tolerance, the DSRP was transported to Japan’s JAXA Tsukuba Space Center in December last year and will be integrated into the HAKUTO-R Mission 2 lunar lander developed by ispace, a Japanese private lunar exploration company and partner in this moon-landing mission.

When asked how he is feeling, Changa said that he is experiencing a mixture of excitement and nervousness about the upcoming mission.

“We’ve done the best we can in terms of design and verification, so we’re confident that we can accomplish our mission and we’re sure that through this entire process, we’ll learn a lot more that will be beneficial for future missions.”

Central News Agency Taiwan reported that addressing the challenges faced during the 21-month development period, Chang mentioned time constraints as a significant factor since the delivery deadline was set in December of the previous year.

“We went through many previous iterations where we designed, fabricated, tested and then of course we had to revise our design to clear certain issues we found with each revision,” said Chang, adding that the current DSRP is the fifth version.

Chou Yi-hsuan, a fourth-year student in the Department of Space Science and Engineering, shared insights gained from one of the mistakes in the verification stage, Central News Agency Taiwan reported.

“We had to identify issues related to low temperature or abnormalities under vacuum conditions that led to the problem. Step by step, we found the mistake and fixed it,” she said.

Reflecting on the experience of delivering the DSRP in Japan, Chou expressed happiness. “We were really happy when we finally went to Japan as it was something we had been working on for two years, and we could finally deliver our project.” (ANI)

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Taiwan Defies China, Finishes Dockyard in Taiping Island

Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, is the biggest of the naturally existing Spratly Islands in the South China Sea….reports Asian Lite News

The Coast Guard Administration has confirmed that a project of making upgrades to a wharf in Taiwan-controlled Taiping Island in the South China Sea has been completed, and added that the project would allow larger vessels to dock at it, reported Focus Taiwan citing the Central News Agency.

On being asked if President Tsai Ing-wen will preside over the reconstructed wharf’s inauguration ceremony, the CGA declined to comment.

The CGA’s confirmation came after a report in the Chinese-language United Daily News (UDN) earlier on Monday, which featured a plea from Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Chen I-hsin for Tsai to visit Taiping to reassert the China’s sovereignty over the disputed island, reported Central News Agency of Taiwan.

Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, is the biggest of the naturally existing Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

It is located 1,600 kilometers southwest of Kaohsiung and is managed as part of the southern Taiwan city’s Cijin District. However, the island is also claimed by China, Vietnam and Philippines.

Meanwhile, Chen, a member of the Legislature’s Foreign and National Defence Committee underlined that Tsai follow in the footsteps of past Presidents Chen Shiu-bian and Ma Ying-jeou and travel to Taiping for the opening ceremony, the CGA said in a statement, reported Central News Agency of Taiwan.

Notably, the 1.7 billion New Taiwanese Dollar (USD54.4 million) project to remove dirt and deepen navigation channels would allow 4,000-tonne CGA boats to conduct routine patrols in the seas surrounding Taiping, according to a release.

The restoration, which was finished on October 30, 2023 and passed all needed inspections on January 20, also included a reinforcement of typhoon-related disaster mitigation measures, according to the CGA.

The Taiping island in the South China Sea currently hosts around 200 coast guardsmen trained by the Marine Corps who conduct regular training.

It is one of two areas held by the Taiwanese government in the South China Sea, the other being Dongsha, or Pratas Island, located 450 kilometers southwest of Kaohsiung. (ANI)

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China’s increased military activity around Taiwan raises concerns

The Taiwan Ministry of National Defence said it monitored the situation with its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems….reports Asian Lite News

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) detected seven Chinese military aircraft, six naval vessels, and one balloon around Taiwan between 9 am (local time) on Sunday to 6 am (local time) on Monday, Taiwan News reported.

According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence, one of the seven People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, entered the southwest air defence identification zone (ADIZ). The aircraft was identified as an unmanned aerial vehicle that came within 170 km (92 NM) of Eluanbi, Taiwan News reported.

In a post on X, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence stated, “7 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected until 06:00 (UTC+8) today. one of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s SW ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and tasked appropriate forces to respond.”

The Taiwan Ministry of National Defence said it monitored the situation with its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. In response, Taiwan’s MND said it scrambled combat patrol aircraft, dispatched naval vessels and deployed land-based air defence missile systems.

Furthermore, the MND said the Chinese balloon was detected 125 km (68 NM) southwest of Taichung at an altitude of 6,700 m (22,000 feet) at 7:27 pm (local time) on Sunday, Taiwan News reported.

The balloon flew in an easterly direction over northern Taiwan and disappeared at 8:52 pm (local time) on Sunday over the northern end of Taiwan’s central mountain range, the report said. So far in January, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence has detected 282 Chinese military aircraft and 128 naval vessels.

Since 2020, China has increased the use of “gray zone tactics” in the form of deployment of military aircraft and naval vessels over the median line and inside Taiwan’s ADIZ.

According to Taiwan News report, gray zone tactics are defined as “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resorting to direct and sizable use of force, according to CSIS. (ANI)

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Taiwan appreciates U.S. support for cross-strait peace

Why has China decided to extend its military exercises around Taiwan?.(photo:IN)

Both sides said that the round of talks was meant to follow up on the Woodside Summit held between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping last November….reports Asian Lite News

Taiwan’s government expressed gratitude towards the United States for reiterating its support for cross-strait peace following a round of high-level talks between National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held over the weekend, Central News Agency Taiwan reported on Sunday.

Washington and Beijing separately announced late Saturday that Sullivan and China’s top diplomat Wang, who is also a Chinese Communist Party politburo member and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission, had met in Bangkok on Friday and Saturday.

Both sides said that the round of talks was meant to follow up on the Woodside Summit held between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping last November.

The Central News Agency said in its report that the talks were part of an effort “to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage competition in the relationship as directed by the leaders,” the White House said in its statement.

According to the White House readout, Sullivan stressed that although the two world powers “are in competition, both countries need to prevent it from veering into conflict or confrontation.”

Both sides spoke about a range of areas of cooperation that had also been discussed at the Woodside Summit, including issues related to Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Middle East, North Korea, the South China Sea, and Burma.

Regarding the cross-strait issue, Sullivan “underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” according to the readout.

A separate press statement issued by China’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, said Wang stressed during the two-day meeting that “the Taiwan question is China’s internal affair, and the election in the Taiwan region cannot change the basic fact that Taiwan is part of China,” referring to the presidential and legislative elections held in Taiwan on Jan. 13.

“‘Taiwan independence’ poses the biggest risk to cross-strait peace and stability and the biggest challenge to China-U.S. relations,” Wang warned Sullivan during the Bangkok meeting, according to the Chinese press release.

“The U.S. side must abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques, translate its commitment of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence’ into action and support China’s peaceful reunification,” it added.

In response, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Sunday thanked the U.S. side for reiterating its support for cross-strait peace and stability.

MOFA also denounced Wang’s remarks during the Bangkok meeting that “the Taiwan question is China’s internal affair.”

In its statement, MOFA reiterated that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent country and that neither the ROC nor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is subordinate to the other, Central News Agency Taiwan reported.

These facts and the status quo have long been recognized by the international community, with Taiwan’s January 13 presidential election marking yet another demonstration of its “mature and healthy democracy” that received widespread international acclaim and congratulations from more than 100 countries around the globe, MOFA said.

“No distorted narrative on Taiwan’s sovereign status by China can alter the fact nor the status quo,” it added.

On Jan. 13, Vice President Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won Taiwan’s presidential election, helped by a split of the opposition vote that gave him a victory despite not receiving an absolute majority of the ballots cast.

With Lai’s victory, the DPP has made history as the first political party in Taiwan to win three consecutive terms since the first direct presidential election was held in 1996. (ANI)

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Taiwan to invest in AI tool to fight China threat

Taiwan might invest up to New Taiwan dollar 17.4 billion (USD556 million) by 2026 to create skills and programmes relevant to AI research….reports Asian Lite News

Taiwan intends to invest in the creation of its own huge language model AI tool, comparable to ChatGPT, to fight the threat of Chinese influence via online digital technologies, according to Taiwan News.

The project, dubbed “TAIDE,” follows the release of the Chinese chatbot programme “Ernie Bot,” which was created by Baidu and made available to the public in 2023.

According to UDN, Taiwan might invest up to New Taiwan dollar 17.4 billion (USD556 million) by 2026 to create skills and programmes relevant to AI research.

Among those monies, New Taiwan Dollar 230 million (USD7.4 million) will be set aside particularly for the development of TAIDE, which stands for “Trustworthy AI Dialogue Engine,” according to Taiwan News.

As an example of the risks posed by Chinese infiltration into current digital platforms, Japanese journalists covering Ernie Bot recently questioned the programme, “Who won the Taiwan election?”

The programme properly responded, “Lai Ching-te,” but unpromptedly continued, “No matter how the situation in Taiwan may change, there is only one China.”

With the growing popularity of apps like TikTok among young people, the Taiwanese authorities is increasingly concerned about the possibilities of Chinese misinformation and propaganda, reported Taiwan News.

With developing AI technologies poised to influence the cultural landscape in the coming decade, Taipei believes that the creation of local AI tools would act as an effective deterrent to Chinese infiltration attempts on internet platforms.

Taiwan thanks US

Taiwan’s government expressed gratitude towards the United States for reiterating its support for cross-strait peace following a round of high-level talks between National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held over the weekend, Central News Agency Taiwan reported on Sunday.

Washington and Beijing separately announced late Saturday that Sullivan and China’s top diplomat Wang, who is also a Chinese Communist Party politburo member and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission, had met in Bangkok on Friday and Saturday.

Both sides said that the round of talks was meant to follow up on the Woodside Summit held between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping last November.

The Central News Agency said in its report that the talks were part of an effort “to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage competition in the relationship as directed by the leaders,” the White House said in its statement.

According to the White House readout, Sullivan stressed that although the two world powers “are in competition, both countries need to prevent it from veering into conflict or confrontation.”

Both sides spoke about a range of areas of cooperation that had also been discussed at the Woodside Summit, including issues related to Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Middle East, North Korea, the South China Sea, and Burma.

Regarding the cross-strait issue, Sullivan “underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” according to the readout.

A separate press statement issued by China’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, said Wang stressed during the two-day meeting that “the Taiwan question is China’s internal affair, and the election in the Taiwan region cannot change the basic fact that Taiwan is part of China,” referring to the presidential and legislative elections held in Taiwan on Jan. 13.

“‘Taiwan independence’ poses the biggest risk to cross-strait peace and stability and the biggest challenge to China-U.S. relations,” Wang warned Sullivan during the Bangkok meeting, according to the Chinese press release.

“The U.S. side must abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques, translate its commitment of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence’ into action and support China’s peaceful reunification,” it added.

In response, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Sunday thanked the U.S. side for reiterating its support for cross-strait peace and stability.

MOFA also denounced Wang’s remarks during the Bangkok meeting that “the Taiwan question is China’s internal affair.”

In its statement, MOFA reiterated that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent country and that neither the ROC nor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is subordinate to the other, Central News Agency Taiwan reported.

These facts and the status quo have long been recognized by the international community, with Taiwan’s January 13 presidential election marking yet another demonstration of its “mature and healthy democracy” that received widespread international acclaim and congratulations from more than 100 countries around the globe, MOFA said.

“No distorted narrative on Taiwan’s sovereign status by China can alter the fact nor the status quo,” it added. (ANI)

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US Lawmakers visit Taiwan to show support amid tensions

Diaz Balart and Democrat Ami Bera, both co-chairs of the congressional Taiwan Caucus, arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday for a three-day visit…reports Asian Lite News

Two United States House of Representatives members told former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te on Thursday that their current visit to Taipei was meant to showcase bipartisan support from the US Congress for Taiwan, Central News Agency Taiwan reported on Friday.

It reported that the visiting delegation sends a clear message that the US Congress, across party lines, firmly supports Taiwan and its prosperity and security, Representative Mario Diaz Balart of the Republican Party told Tsai during a closed-door meeting, according to a press release issued by the Presidential Office.

Diaz Balart and Democrat Ami Bera, both co-chairs of the congressional Taiwan Caucus, arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday for a three-day visit, less than two weeks after Taiwan held presidential and legislative elections.

The press release also cited Diaz Balart as expressing concerns over what he called China’s interference in Taiwan’s elections and other forms of pressure exerted on the people of Taiwan.

He went on to say he looked forward to working with Taiwan’s government on various issues, including the double taxation on American and Taiwanese businesses and individuals.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance has long been seeking a double taxation relief agreement with the U.S. to protect their mutual interests amid an acceleration of economic exchanges and business activities.

Such endeavours have seen some progress on the U.S. side recently.

On Jan. 19, with bipartisan support, the US House Committee on Ways and Means advanced a bill addressing double taxation for American and Taiwanese businesses and individuals, sending it to the House for a full floor vote.

Bera, meanwhile, stressed that the congressional Taiwan Caucus, the largest caucus on Capitol Hill, represented the “steadfast support” of the American people for Taiwan.

The Democrat called out Beijing for its intrusive actions that he said had altered the status quo of the Taiwan Strait while urging democratic nations to stand in solidarity in the face of challenges posed by China.

In her remarks, Tsai, who is set to leave office in May after completing her two four-year terms, thanked both Diaz Balart and Bera for their staunch support for Taiwan.

She added that Taiwan would continue working to broaden its exchanges with the US and expand links with the international community.

The two lawmakers also conveyed the same messages during their earlier meeting with Lai, who is the incumbent vice president and expected to take office on May 20, according to the Presidential Office.

Lai, in return, reiterated his pledges to continue Tsai’s policies, which include striving to maintain the status quo of the Taiwan Strait and boosting Taiwan’s defense capability.

As per the Central News Agency Taiwan report the Tsai also met with a Lithuanian parliamentarian group led by Parliamentarian Matas Maldeikis at the Presidential Office on Thursday, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance bilateral ties based on their shared values of freedom and democracy.

The 11-member Lithuanian delegation features three deputy speakers, namely, Vytautas Mitalas, Radvile Morkunaite-Mikuleniene and Julius Sabatauskas, and other parliamentarians from different parties.

The delegation also met with Lai separately on Thursday as part of their six-day visit to Taiwan from Jan 21-26. (ANI)

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New Marshall Islands President Reaffirms Ties With Taiwan

The inauguration of the Marshall Islands president took place in the national capital, Majuro, on Monday and was attended by dignitaries from around the world, including Taiwan….reports Asian Lite News

Newly elected Marshall Islands president Hilda Heine has reaffirmed her support for strong ties with Taiwan, as reported by Focus Taiwan.

The inauguration of the Marshall Islands president took place in the national capital, Majuro, on Monday and was attended by dignitaries from around the world, including Taiwan.

At her inauguration, messages of congratulations were read out, including from Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen and representatives from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Japan, Palau, and the United States, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) press release.

Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang, who attended the inauguration as a special envoy of President Tsai, highlighted that both countries share the values of democracy and freedom, referencing the fact that both have just conducted national elections, according to Focus Taiwan.

President Heine, meanwhile, reaffirmed the 26 years of strong ties between the two nations, adding that her administration will continue to cherish the long-standing friendship, MOFA said in its press release.

Moreover, Heine once again congratulated Vice President Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for being elected president on January 13 and praised Taiwan as a model of democracy, it said.

Reportedly, Heini was elected president on January 2 this year by a 17-16 margin over David Kabua, who ousted Heine in 2020 after his 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 in the Pacific nation, Tien also met with top officials, including Foreign and Trade Minister Kalani Kaneko, Minister of Natural Resources and Commerce Anthony Muller, Minister of Assistance Bremity Lakjohn, and Minister of Justice and Immigration Wisely Zackhras, to discuss cooperation projects, MOFA said.

Taiwan also saw the delivery of 60 tonnes of rice donated by Taiwan to the Mashall Isamad during a ceremony, it said.

According to Tien and his delegation were scheduled to return to Taiwan later Tuesday, according to MOFA.

Tien’s delegation departed Taiwan last Wednesday, two days after Nauru, roughly 1,000 kilometres southwest of the Marshall Islands, announced that it was severing ties with the Republic of China (Taiwan’s official name) to recognise the People’s Republic of China.

Moreover, the move left China with 12 allies worldwide, including the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau in the Pacific region. Tuvalu and Palau have also recently pledged to stick with Taiwan.

The severing of ties between Taiwan and Nauru came two days after Lai was elected president, according to Focus Taiwan.

It was also the 10th diplomatic ally Taipei has lost to Beijing since President Tsai took office in May 2016 amid deteriorating cross-Taiwan Strait relations. (ANI)

Nauru Ee-Establishes Diplomatic Ties With China

China and Nauru have restored diplomatic ties, marking a significant development after the Pacific island nation unexpectedly cut off relations with its former ally Taiwan, a move deemed “unfortunate” by the United States. The Pacific region has become a battleground for influence between Washington and Beijing, with both powers vying for diplomatic alliances.

In a ceremony held in Beijing, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Nauru’s counterpart Lionel Aingimea officially signed an agreement to re-establish bilateral relations, including the immediate resumption of ambassadorial ties. Wang emphasized the historical friendship between the two nations, despite their geographical distance and vast oceans that separate them.

Aingimea expressed optimism about the new relationship, highlighting its foundation in strength, development strategy, policy synergy, collaboration, and shared governmental principles. He spoke positively about the bright prospects for the partnership.

Taiwan, a democratically governed island, lost Nauru as one of its few remaining diplomatic allies to China on January 15, just two days after the election of a new Taiwanese president. China regards Taiwan as its own territory with no right to establish state-to-state ties, a stance vehemently contested by Taiwan.

Nauru’s government stated that the decision to resume diplomatic ties with China was made in the best interests of the country and its people, seeking a full restoration of relations with the Asian giant.

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