Tuvalu prime minister to attend Taiwan presidential inauguration

Taipei, March 9 (CNA) Tuvalu's newly appointed Prime Minister Feleti Teo will be attending Taiwan's President-elect Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) inauguration on May 20, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed Saturday.

During his three-day visit to Tuvalu this past week, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) invited Teo to attend the inauguration, and Teo accepted, MOFA said in a statement Saturday.

Tien was in Tuvalu from Wednesday to Friday as a special envoy of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to congratulate Teo and his newly formed Cabinet.

While there, he attended a series of celebrations and met with all Cabinet members, including Governor-General Tofiga Falani and Foreign Minister Paulson Panapa, and thanked Tuvalu for its long-term support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations, MOFA said.

Tien also attended ceremonies to highlight bilateral cooperation plans, including projects focused on clean energy development and the installation of air conditioners in every classroom in Tuvaluan schools.

Falani and members of the new government have said several times the Taiwan delegation was the first to visit and congratulate Tuvalu on the formation of a new government, and that Tuvalu will continue to support Taiwan's international participation and strengthen bilateral ties.

The Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan's formal name, established diplomatic relations with Tuvalu in 1979, and it is one of 12 countries around the world that formally recognize the ROC.