President William Lai (賴清德) toured the Marshall Islands yesterday, the first nation he has visited since taking office in May, as part of a Pacific tour of diplomatic allies.
The Marshall Islands is one of 12 UN member nations that recognize Taiwan diplomatically after others jumped ship to China following promises of aid and investment.
Marshallese President Hilda Heine expressed her government’s commitment to “remain a staunch ally” of Taiwan after Lai arrived in the capital, Majuro, where the Taiwanese leader held talks with the government and attended a banquet.
Photo: AFP / Presidential Office
“Taiwan and the Marshall Islands share a traditional Austronesian culture, as well as the values of freedom and democracy,” Lai told Heine, speaking through an interpreter.
The Marshall Islands, a sprawling chain of volcanic islands and coral atolls halfway between Hawaii and Australia, has a long-standing agreement with the US that gives it security and budget guarantees.
In return, the US military has access to its territory.
Photo: CNA
“We are like family, and we are also close partners who support each other,” Lai told Heine. “Over many years of mutual support, we have provided one another the greatest possible backing.”
Addressing parliament, Lai offered financial support for the national airline to upgrade its aging fleet.
“Taiwan will be happy to provide preferential loans to the Marshall Islands to purchase new aircraft for Air Marshall Islands to improve local air services,” he said.
Taiwan, which has a long history of providing development finance in the Pacific, would also help build a pig slaughterhouse next year to improve food security in the Marshall Islands, Lai said.
Lai said Taiwan would look at how to help the Marshall Islands address “national security issues that are important to President Heine,” without elaborating.
Heine told Lai that the Pacific island nation would “remain a staunch ally, and continue to voice and support Taiwan’s inclusion in the United Nations and all other regional and international organizations.”
Lai’s first overseas trip since taking office in May began with a two-day visit to Hawaii where he discussed “China’s military threats” during a telephone call with former US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi, and met with other US government officials and members of the US Congress.
After the Marshall Islands, Lai is to visit Taiwan’s other Pacific island allies Tuvalu and Palau, as well as stop for one night in the US territory of Guam.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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