President Lai Ching-te Visits Marshall Islands on Pacific Charm Offensive

TaiwanPlus News

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te is visiting the Marshall Islands' parliament on his first official overseas trip since taking office. He's looking to boost Taiwan's position in the Pacific.

Transcript

00:00This is the Parliament of the Marshall Islands, an island nation of just 40,000 people right

00:05in the middle of the Pacific, and lawmakers are gathering here to welcome Taiwan's President

00:10Lai Ching-de. Why is he here? Well, the Marshall Islands is one of just 12 countries around

00:15the world that recognizes Taiwan diplomatically, and Lai is leading a delegation to boost cooperation

00:22on issues including maritime security, health care, and adapting to climate change.

00:30I deeply feel that our two countries share a rich and diverse culture of the South Pacific,

00:37and that we share the values of freedom and democracy, and that we create a rich and diverse

00:43cooperation in all areas of close exchanges.

00:46After visiting the U.S. state of Hawaii, Lai travelled here to the Marshall Islands and

00:49will later visit diplomatic ally Tuvalu, before transiting in Guam and then visiting Palau

00:54and back to Taiwan. China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan, pressures countries not to

00:59officially engage diplomatically with Taiwan, and shuts it out of global bodies like the

01:04United Nations. Formal diplomatic allies like the Marshall Islands are an important asset

01:09for isolated Taiwan, speaking out for it on the world stage. China has been using carrot

01:15and stick measures to encourage Pacific nations to switch allegiances to Beijing. Since 2019,

01:21Taiwan's allies here have dropped from six to three.

01:25This may be a small, remote country, but the Marshall Islands is strategically important

01:29and a diplomatic asset for Taiwan. Lai's mission here will be to make good on commitments

01:34and reassure the people here that Taiwan is a reliable international partner.

01:39John Su and Rick Lowatt in Majuro, Marshall Islands, for Taiwan Plus.

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