TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. on Sunday reaffirmed his country’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
At a banquet for Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), Whipps said the bilateral relationship is built on mutual respect, democratic values, and people-to-people exchanges, per the Presidential Office. As Austronesian nations, the two share cultural traditions and longstanding connections, he said.
Whipps also noted that during his recent visit to Japan, media outlets showed strong interest in Taiwan-Palau relations. In an interview with Kyodo News, he said, “You cannot tell me that I cannot recognize Taiwan. That's our sovereign choice as a country.” His comment was in response to mounting pressure from China to shift recognition to Beijing.
He added that Taiwan’s global contributions in areas such as health care and technology make it deserving of meaningful international participation.
The president thanked Taiwan for being a reliable and outstanding partner, particularly during difficult times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Taiwan provided Palau with medical referrals, supplies, and educational support during that time.
He said ongoing cooperation, including direct flights, aquaculture projects, infrastructure improvements, and investment promotion, has been vital to Palau’s economic resilience and sustainable development. He hoped for continued collaboration and welcomed Hsiao to visit Palau again.
Hsiao is on a five-day trip to the Pacific island nation to deepen ties and review the results of cooperation projects.
Taiwan has been assisting Palau as it prepares to host this year’s Pacific Islands Forum in late August. The Palauan government is considering how to use the opportunity to demonstrate the tangible achievements of democratic cooperation in promoting regional development, good governance, and resilience, Michael Lin (林昭宏), director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said in February.
