The Marshall Islands will continue to stand with Taiwan despite increasingly complex regional politics and pressure from China. That was the word from Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine, who is in Taiwan on a state visit.
President Tsai Ing-wen met with the Marshall Islands leader on Friday morning. Heine said that without Taiwan, her country would not have been able to become a member of the United Nation’s Human Rights Council earlier this year. Heine said that Taiwan and the Marshall Islands share a true friendship, and that this will not change despite external pressure.
Heine said that both Taiwan and the Marshall Islands are democratic island nations that only want freedom, democracy, and order for themselves and for the greater region.
Tsai thanked the Marshall Islands for passing a unanimous resolution supporting diplomatic ties with Taiwan last month. Tsai also expressed appreciation for Marshallese foreign minister John Silk’s recent speech at the UN general assembly, which called for Taiwan’s inclusion in international organizations.
Tsai and Heine also signed an economic cooperation agreement.