Taiwan affirms cooperation with Palau despite China pressure

Taipei, Feb. 15 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday affirmed that the country will continue to push for peace, prosperity and stability with Palau in the Indo-Pacific region, at a time when China has encouraged the Pacific ally to cut ties with Taiwan.

In a statement, the ministry said Taiwan has long supported Palau in tourism development in a bid to strengthen the Pacific nation's economic resilience and sustainability.

In the post COVID-era, MOFA said, Taiwan has been keen to help Palau improve its tourism industry, maintaining stable direct flight links between the two countries, while working with like-minded countries to support the Pacific island nation's development.

"In the future, MOFA will continue to team up with Palau to facilitate peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," the ministry said in the statement.

The statement came after Cleo Paskal, a researcher at the U.S.-based think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, posted a letter from Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. to a U.S. senator on her X page, which said: "The PRC has already offered to 'fill every hotel room' in our tourism-based private sector -- 'and more if more are built' -- and US$20 million a year for two acres for a 'call center.'"

Writing to the U.S. senator, whose name was crossed out on Paskal's X page and could not be recognized, Whipps urged the U.S. Congress to support the Compacts of Free Association (COFA), a financial aid agreement with Palau, that also includes Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.

A renewal of the 20-year COFA was signed late last year, but US$7 billion to fund it is still struggling to find a path forward in the U.S. Congress, international news media said recently.

Whipps said as long as the U.S. congress fails to renew the COFA aid package, it will play "into the hands of the CCP and the leaders here (some of whom have done 'business' with the PRC) who want to accept its seemingly attractive economic offers -- at the cost of shifting alliances, beginning with sacrificing Taiwan."

In response, the ministry said Whipps has repeatedly supported Taiwan's international organizations at many international occasions, including the U.N. General Assembly and the 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) held last year.

MOFA described Whipps as an "adamant ally" of Taiwan.

Jan. 17: Palau pledges support for Taiwan after Nauru breaks ties

Jan. 15: China's post-election poaching of Nauru 'an assault on democracy': MOFA

In addition, MOFA said Whipps had a phone conversation with Taiwan's President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德) soon after the presidential election on Jan. 13 and congratulated Taiwan for advancing democratic values, indicating the bilateral ties between the two countries are stable and continue to grow.

Taiwan has long criticized China for poaching its diplomatic allies.

Nauru severed ties with Taiwan two days after Lai of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected president.

It was the 10th diplomatic ally Taipei has lost to Beijing since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office in May 2016 due to deteriorating cross-Taiwan Strait relations.

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