Taiwan

Of Taiwan’s 15 remaining official diplomatic allies, four are located in the Pacific, namely the Marshall Islands, Vanuatu, Palau and Nauru. Earlier this year, the Solomon Islands and Kiribati switched recognition to China.

Speaking during a meeting with participants in the 2019 Pacific Islands Leadership Programme in Taipei Tuesday, Chen said that apart from contributing to scholarships and to regional development plans, Taiwan would also launch the healthcare fund.

In a tweet, President Tsai said she is deeply moved when President Aingimea adjusted his flights after the UN General Assembly in New York to stopover in Taiwai and ‘give weight to his words.’

"#Taiwan & #Nauru are of a family, & the family gets together to show support at a time of need.”

President Aingimea rearranged his itineraries and made a layover in Taiwan on Saturday during his return trip to Nauru to “show his support for Taiwan,” according to a statement issued by the Presidential Office on Friday (Sept. 27).

In just four days, Taiwan's diplomatic allies fell from 17 to 15, further isolating the island as Beijing aggressively courts the handful of countries that still recognise the government in Taipei.

The Pacific had been a stronghold of support for Taipei as its diplomatic allies steadily dwindled. Until this week, six countries in the region recognised Taiwan over China. But in terms of population, Solomon Islands and Kiribati were the biggest.

The move was announced in a statement released on Monday by Taiwan's ministry of foreign affairs.

"The government hereby declares the termination of diplomatic relations with Solomon Islands with immediate effect, the end of all bilateral co-operative projects, as well as the recall of the staff of its Embassy, technical mission, and medical mission stationed in Solomon Islands," the statement said.

"The Taiwan government also demands that Solomon Islands immediately recall its government personnel from Taiwan."

The renewed competition between China and Taiwan is expected to be a focus at this year's Pacific Islands Forum summit in Tuvalu, especially as Taipei's diplomatic allies dwindle.

Baron Waqa and Enele Sopoaga told a news conference that their support for Taipei remains unshakeable.

Mr Waqa said Taiwan has been treated unfairly by the international community, including the United Nations.

Taiwan's Central News Agency reported Nauru is the sixth Pacific country to sign such a deal with the nation.

The pact, titled "Treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters," was signed by Nauru's Justice Minister, David Adeang, in Taipei on Wednesday.

It allows authorities in both countries to offer assistance to each other in criminal investigations, court proceedings and international crime-fighting.

The pact also allows investigators from both countries to form teams to conduct interrogations via video link.

The pact was signed by Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Director-General Chen Guo-en and Nauru Police Commissioner Corey Caleb, in the presence of President Tsai Ing-wen and her Nauruan counterpart Baron Divavesi Waqa.

Tsai is currently on an eight-day visit to Palau, Nauru and the Marshall Islands. She flew to Nauru from Palau on Sunday for a two-day stay and will leave for the Marshall Islands on Tuesday.

Deputy foreign minister Hsu Szu-chien said talks were ongoing about a possible stopover in US territory – a move that would likely anger Beijing, which regards Taiwan as a breakaway province to be brought back to the mainland fold, by force if necessary.

The aim of the eight-day visit, starting on March 21, was to “deepen ties and friendly relations” with Taiwan’s Pacific allies, Hsu said.

A person with knowledge of the matter said the stopover would most likely be in Guam or Hawaii, with the chance of at least one visit to US territory “very high”.

His comments came at the end of a five-day visit to Taiwan, where he met with President Tsai Ing-Wen.

Taiwan state media report that on Friday, President Baron Waqa reiterated support for Taipei, and rejected the One China policy.

Nauru is one of a dwindling number of countries recognising Taiwan, which Beijing claims sovereignty over.

Mr Waqa said China's policies were "designed to entice and hook up" countries in the Pacific.

He said Nauru and Taiwan would continue to work together in areas like fishing and medical aid.

During a visit to Taichung Veterans General Hospital (TVGH), Waqa said he was grateful for the medical service the hospital has been providing to people in his country for many years.

At the hospital, he was also presented with a gift of 200 doses of dengue fever rapid screening reagent to take back to Nauru, one of Taiwan's diplomatic allies in the Pacific region.

TVGH administrator Hsu Hui-heng, who handed over the reagents, said the hospital has been sending medical teams to Nauru since 2008.