Tuvalu’s new premier says democracy and loyalty are reasons for preferring Taiwan over Beijing

This news has been read 567 times!

MELBOURNE, Australia, March 2, (AP): The new prime minister in the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu said on Friday his country shares democratic values with Taiwan and reaffirmed that his government would maintain diplomatic ties with Taipei, ruling out a shift to Beijing.
Prime Minister Feleti Teo spoke to The Associated Press via Zoom, his first interview with international media since his government took office earlier this week.
“Our ties with Taiwan are purely based on democratic principles and they have been very loyal to us,” Teo said.
Teo, a 61-year-old first-time lawmaker, and his eight Cabinet ministers were sworn into office on Wednesday, a month after general elections in the strategically significant nation of 11,500 people half way between Australia and Hawaii.
Election campaign issues included whether Tuvalu should switch its diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing. An elected candidate proposed scrapping a treaty, which has yet to be ratified, that would give Australia veto power over any security-related agreement Tuvalu wants to make with any other country, including China.
The new administration announced it would maintain diplomatic ties with the self-governing Taiwan. China has claimed Taiwan since a 1949 split amid civil war.
“We don’t see any reason why we need to invest in time to discuss and engage in the two-China discussion,” he added, referring to the counter-policy from the “One China” principle, which is China’s view that it has sovereignty over the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
Seve Paeniu, who was finance minister in the previous government and was considered a leadership contender in the election, had argued for Tuvalu’s relationships with both Taiwan and Beijing to be reviewed. Paeniu was excluded from Teo’s Cabinet.
Tuvalu’s Parliament has 16 lawmakers and no political parties so a prime minister must garner the support of at least eight independent lawmakers to command a majority.
After Teo was chosen by 10 of his fellow lawmakers to be prime minister on Monday, China’s foreign ministry urged Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to “stand on the right side of history and make the right decision that truly serves their long-term interest” by switching allegiances to Beijing.

This news has been read 567 times!