Washington is working with Taipei to help shore up Taiwan’s allies in the Pacific. That’s with China ramping up efforts to lure away Taiwan’s diplomatic allies.
In recent weeks, two Pacific island nations -- the Solomon Islands and Kiribati -- have cut ties with Taiwan to recognize Beijing. Taiwan still has four allies in the region: Palau, Nauru, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) teamed up to present the first Pacific Island Dialogue, which opened in Taipei on Monday. The goal is to consolidate Taiwan’s diplomatic alliances in the Pacific and to discuss future regional cooperation.
AIT is the de facto US embassy in the absence of official diplomatic ties.
At the conference opening on Monday, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said that Taiwan helps Pacific allies by sending groups of technical experts. These include experts in agricultural technology and medicine. Taiwan also provides training in the areas of public health, the environment and humanitarian aide. Wu said these efforts are all part of a successful “Taiwan model” for assistance.
Another person attending the conference opening was US State Department official Sandra Oudkirk.
Oudkirk says the US hopes Pacific island nations can benefit from their local development instead of taking on debts that they cannot repay. She was referring to the Chinese strategy of winning over Taiwan’s allies with offers of money and funding for infrastructure projects.
Meanwhile, the Marshall Islands’ ambassador to Taiwan, Neijon Rema Edwards, said that the Marshall Islands regards Taiwan as a friend. She said that Taiwan is a reliable partner in a free and open Indo-Pacific region.