March 17, 2015
No. 044
Many of the outer islands of Tuvalu, a staunch ally of the Republic of China in the Pacific Ocean, were devastated by the category 5 Cyclone Pam on March 11 and 12. They were severely flooded with seawater, putting residents and communities in grave danger. As a result, the Tuvalu government declared a week-long state of emergency on March 13. The ROC government immediately responded by expressing concern through Tuvalu’s embassy in Taipei and the ROC embassy in Tuvalu and donating $80,000 Australian dollars to help the country recover.
After Taiwan was hit by Typhoon Morakot in 2009, Tuvalu also offered immediate assistance to the ROC. Taiwan’s swift aid to Tuvalu this time bears testimony to the close friendship and strong ties between the two countries. (E)