The newly appointed prime minister of Tuvalu, Feleti Teo, emphasized that his country shares democratic values with Taiwan and will continue to maintain diplomatic ties with Taipei, rejecting any possibility of shifting allegiance to Beijing.
In his first international media interview since assuming office, Teo stated, “Our relationship with Taiwan is built on democratic principles and their loyalty to us has been unwavering.”
Teo, a 61-year-old first-time lawmaker, and his Cabinet ministers were sworn in after recent elections in the strategically important nation situated between Australia and Hawaii.
Despite election campaign discussions about potentially changing diplomatic alliances, the new government confirmed its commitment to Taiwan, disregarding pressure from China.
Teo also expressed his disinterest in engaging in discussions about the “One China” policy, maintaining Tuvalu’s stance on maintaining relations with Taiwan.
The decision to uphold ties with Taiwan led to the exclusion of Seve Paeniu, a former finance minister who advocated for a review of relationships with both Taiwan and Beijing.
With only 16 lawmakers in Tuvalu’s Parliament and no political parties, securing majority support is crucial for a prime minister to lead the government.
Teo’s appointment as prime minister was supported by 10 lawmakers, despite pressure from China for Taiwan’s allies to switch allegiances.
Teo emphasized that changing alliances was not a concern for the people of Tuvalu, focusing instead on renegotiating development agreements with Taiwan and addressing climate change impacts.
The treaty with Australia, aimed at assisting Tuvalu in response to natural disasters and climate change effects, is under scrutiny by Teo, who seeks to remove a clause that requires mutual agreement on third-party security agreements.
While Teo supports the treaty’s objectives, he believes the mutual agreement provision could infringe on Tuvalu’s sovereignty and hopes for further negotiations with Australia.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s office has not yet responded to requests for comments on potential renegotiations of the treaty.
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