Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Feleti Teo reiterated his nation’s commitment to Taiwan following his inauguration on Wednesday, subsequent to last month’s general election, as per a government announcement disseminated on social media by an incoming minister.
The Pacific island state stands as one of Taiwan’s three remaining allies in the region, following Nauru’s decision to switch allegiance to mainland China in January.
“The new government wishes to reaffirm its commitment to the long-term and lasting special relationship between Tuvalu and the Republic of China, Taiwan,” stated the government, as shared on X, formerly Twitter, by Minister for Transport, Energy, Communication, and Innovation Simon Kofe.
“It intends to reassess options that would strengthen and lift it to a more durable, lasting, and mutually beneficial relationship,” the statement said.
Ministers of Teo’s Cabinet took their oaths during a ceremony in the capital, Funafuti, over a month after the Jan. 26 election.
Teo, a former attorney general and fisheries official, has made numerous visits to Taiwan, as reported by the self-ruled island.
With Nauru’s recent decision, Taiwan now maintains only 12 diplomatic allies, which include the Pacific nations of Tuvalu, Palau, and the Marshall Islands.
