February 26, 2024
No. 072
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs extends sincere congratulations to diplomatic ally Tuvalu on its smooth appointment on February 26 of Senator Feleti Teo to serve as prime minister and officially form a new government.
Republic of China (Taiwan) Ambassador to Tuvalu Andrew Lin promptly extended heartfelt felicitations to Tuvaluan Governor-General Tofiga Falani and new Prime Minister Teo on behalf of the people and government of Taiwan, and forwarded a congratulatory message from President Tsai Ing-wen. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang will serve as President Tsai’s special envoy and lead a delegation to Tuvalu in the near future to convey Taiwan’s best wishes and support for the new government.
Prime Minister Teo is known for his friendly stance toward Taiwan, having visited Taiwan several times. He has stated that the diplomatic alliance between Taiwan and Tuvalu is solid and that all sectors of Tuvalu share a long-standing consensus on supporting official bilateral relations. He has also said that the two governments will continue to jointly promote substantive cooperation projects aimed at enhancing the welfare of both their peoples. Furthermore, he has pledged that Tuvalu will remain committed to firmly backing Taiwan’s efforts to expand its international participation.
Tuvalu successfully completed democratic parliamentary elections on January 26. The results of the vote drew much attention from both the Taiwanese and international media. In the 45 years since establishing diplomatic ties, Taiwan and Tuvalu have enjoyed a solid friendship based on such universal values as democracy, freedom, respect for human rights, and the rule of law. The two countries will build on the rich achievements of past cooperation to further move forward together in jointly advancing peace, stability, prosperity, and development in the Indo-Pacific. (E)