Large democratic countries in the world should adopt strategies to counter China’s bullying, particularly small developing countries such as Palau, Palauan Ambassador to Taiwan Dilmei Louisa Olkeriil said last week.
Olkeriil’s comments came as Palau Pacific Airways earlier this month decided to suspend operations, ending services to Hong Kong and to Macau through the island of Bali — its only destinations — after a drop in Chinese visitors.
The drop in visitor arrivals resulted from Beijing’s ban on group tours to Palau, imposed in November last year because of the Pacific island nation maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
The majority of Palauans support the country’s diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Olkeriil told the Central News Agency on Friday last week.
“We are a democratic country, and we support and promote our relationship with countries with the same system of government, such as Taiwan,” Olkeriil said.
“Everyone knows that China pressures other countries and international organizations not to support Taiwan; organizations like the UN, WHO and World Health Assembly,” Olkeriil added.
Taiwanese hospitals have saved the lives of thousands of Palauans, making it difficult for Palau to break ties with Taiwan, Olkeriil said.
Taiwan and Palau established formal ties in 1999 and have since then collaborated in areas spanning agriculture, green energy, medical and healthcare, talent cultivation and tourism.
Visitor arrivals from China totaled 70,741 in 2016, 55,491 last year and 25,659 in the first six months of this year, Palauan Bureau of Immigration statistics showed.
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