Taiwan Prez will visit allies in South Pacific as rival China seeks inroads

TAIPEI: Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te will visit the self-governing island’s allies in the South Pacific, where rival China has been seeking diplomatic inroads.

The Foreign Ministry announced Friday that Lai would travel from Nov 30 to Dec 6 to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau. The trip comes against the background of Chinese loans, grants and security cooperation treaties with Pacific island nations that have aroused major concern in the US, New Zealand, Australia and others over Beijing’s moves to assert military, political and economic control over the region. Taiwan has not confirmed whether Lai will stop in Hawaii, though such visits are routine.

Taiwan, under pressure from China, which claims it as its territory, has just 12 formal diplomatic allies but maintains strong ties with nations like the US, its key supporter.

China has eroded Taiwan’s alliances in the South Pacific, signing deals with countries like the Solomon Islands. Taiwan has increased efforts to participate in international forums and retain its diplomatic status, recently rejecting South Africa’s demand to relocate its representative office outside the capital.