San Francisco Frontiers - Taiwan's Lai arrives in Tuvalu to shore up Pacific allies

Taiwan calls itself a sovereign nation, but Beijing insists the democratic island of 23 million people is part of its territory and opposes any official exchanges with it.

Lai's day trip to Tuvalu came just ahead of a stopover in the US territory of Guam.

Earlier, he was in the Marshall Islands where President Hilda Heine expressed her government's commitment to "remain a staunch ally" of Taiwan.

Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands are among 12 nations that still recognise Taiwan diplomatically, after China convinced others to dump Taipei in favour of Beijing.

Lai was greeted in low-lying Tuvalu by Prime Minister Feleti Teo and Governor General Tofiga Vaevalu Falani, Teo's office told AFP.

"He landed this morning and was welcomed by Governor General and Prime Minister," Semi Malaki, deputy secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, told AFP in an email.

"This afternoon he pays courtesy call to GG and Cabinet."

Taiwan has a long history of providing development aid in the Pacific.

Teo was named prime minister in February, a month after an election that put the nation's recognition of Taiwan in question.

During the election campaign, senior lawmaker Seve Paeniu had floated the idea that Tuvalu's new government could review its Taiwan ties.

That set off frenzied speculation about a looming shift in policy, but the new government has vowed to keep up its "special" relationship with Taiwan.

China has dramatically ramped up its efforts to gain influence across the Pacific islands in recent years, lavishing small nation states with loans, investment, security aid and other enticements.

Beijing has already poached some of Taiwan's Pacific allies, convincing Solomon Islands and Kiribati to switch recognition in 2019.

Neighbouring Nauru severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in January this year, just days after Lai won Taiwan's presidential elections.

Lai's first overseas trip since taking office in May began with a two-day visit to the United States where he discussed "China's military threats" towards Taiwan during a call with former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi.

He also met with US government officials and members of Congress -- drawing a fresh barrage of criticism from Beijing.

China rejects any international recognition of Taiwan and especially bristles at official contact between the island and Washington, Taiwan's most important security backer.

China on Tuesday vowed to defend its "national sovereignty" and "territorial integrity" as Lai visited the Marshall Islands.

"The Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, when asked whether Beijing could launch another round of war games around the self-ruled island in response to the Pacific tour.

Lai will wrap up his week-long trip on Friday with a visit to ally Palau.

S.Hall--SFF