Taiwan president shores up dwindling allies on Pacific tour
KOROR, Palau: Visiting Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has pledged a tourism boost and gifted a coast guard vessel to the remote Pacific microstate of Palau, as she works to check a push for regional influence by rival China.
Tsai arrived in Palau on Thursday to kick off her second official visit to the Pacific, amid growing concerns over Beijing’s attempt to lure away Taipei’s few remaining diplomatic allies.
Her overtures this week included a pledge to increase flights to the tiny island state, which is struggling to boost tourism after cutting back on charter flights from mainland China.
She also gifted a coastal frigate for patrol of a new conservation area, to be established when the country closes part of its exclusive economic zone to commercial fishing by next year.
The Taiwan leader made the commitments late Friday after meetings with Palau President Tommy Remengesau, who reaffirmed his tiny nation’s ‘lasting friendship’ with her country.
“As our friends from Taiwan know all too well, as island states, securing our ocean spaces is vital to allow our respective national projects to flourish,” he said.
Remengesau added that Palau students currently on scholarships at the Taiwan Naval Academy would join its crew.
The Taiwanese naval patrol frigate Hsun Hu No. 7 took part in joint exercises with Palau’s Coast Guard yesterday.
Tsai addressed Palau’s congress on Friday, thanking them for “their longstanding commitment to speaking up for Taiwan” at the UN and other world bodies, as well as for “upholding the core values of democracy and freedom”.
But the fragility of that support was underscored when both the Senate president and speaker, backers of shifting Palau’s recognition from Taiwan to China, skipped the event.