TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will send Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) as the special envoy to attend the Marshall Island’s presidential inauguration on Jan. 22, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced on Wednesday (Jan. 17).

Tien will depart to the Pacific Island nation on Wednesday and return on Jan. 23, MOFA said. During the visit, Tien will congratulate Marshall Islands president-elect Hilda Heine and her cabinet on behalf of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). He will also hold talks with Heine, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kalani Kaneko, Legislative Speaker Brenson Wase, Vice Legislative Speaker Issac Zackhras, and other Marshallese officials to discuss bilateral cooperation, MOFA said.

“Taiwan and the Republic of the Marshall Islands share a strong and friendly diplomatic relationship, rooted in common values of democracy, freedom, and human rights,” the ministry said. The two countries have closely collaborated in multiple fields, including food security, healthcare, infrastructure, climate change adaptation, and women's empowerment, it added.

Taiwan aims to strengthen its partnership with the Marshall Islands, fostering mutually beneficial relationships and deepening the enduring friendship between the two countries, MOFA said.

Tien’s trip follows the diplomatic loss of Nauru, which switched recognition to Beijing on Jan. 15. In response, Taiwan immediately terminated diplomatic ties with Nauru and ended all bilateral cooperation projects.

Embassy staff and the technical mission in Nauru were recalled. It also requested Nauru shutter its embassy in Taiwan.

“China has long made efforts to approach prominent political figures in Nauru, offering economic assistance as an incentive to persuade Nauru to switch diplomatic recognition,” MOFA said in a statement. It urged China to follow the international order and join the world in creating “win-win situations.”

Taiwan now has three Pacific Island diplomatic allies left: Palau, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands. Palau and Tuvalu both have vowed to maintain ties with Taiwan.