Palauan President Surangel Whipps, Jr. has met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and says his country is committed to building a stronger relationship with Taiwan. Whipps is leading a delegation that arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday and met with President Tsai on Thursday.
Taiwan and Palau have been diplomatic partners for almost 23 years. President Tsai Ing-wen says both countries have helped each other overcome many challenges throughout the pandemic.
Whipps says Taiwan and Palau both value freedom, democracy, and human rights. He adds that Taiwan and Palau set up a travel bubble last year during the pandemic to safely promote tourism. Taiwan also sent medical teams to Palau to help deal with the rise of COVID-19 cases.
Whipps says the two countries' partnership has been essential to dealing with problems like global warming and political tensions in the international community. He says Palau condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine and is committed to supporting Taiwan in the face of threats from China.