Australia won’t interfere in any moves by the Pacific nation of Tuvalu to end its diplomatic relationship with Taiwan, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, following media reports that it could follow Nauru’s lead in shifting its alliance to China.
Tuvalu’s foreign policy is a matter for the Pacific nation alone, Wong said at a press conference in Canberra on Tuesday. Any decision on its recognition of either Taiwan or mainland China is “not something we would be intervening in.”
“It’s a sovereign decision for Tuvalu just as it is a sovereign decision for us,” Wong said.
Her comments come after a historic agreement with Tuvalu in November which gave Australia greater say in the Pacific nation’s defence and security decisions in return for enabling better migration access for Tuvalu’s citizens.
Australia-Tuvalu treaty sparks fears of population drain, threat to sovereignty
There are now only three Pacific nations including Tuvalu which maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, following Nauru’s decision earlier in January to cut ties and recognise China. The two others are Palau and the Marshall Islands.
For decades, the Chinese government has been whittling away at Taiwan’s diplomatic partners around the world, attempting to isolate the democratically-governed island which it sees as part of its territory to be reunited by force if necessary.
While many nations, including the US, do not officially acknowledge Taiwan as an independent state, they oppose any use of force to alter the existing status quo.
Tuvalu’s ambassador to Taiwan Bikenibeu Paeniu told The Australian newspaper in a story published on Saturday that rumours are circulating that his country could be the next to cut diplomatic ties with Taipei. An election is due to be held in the Pacific nation this week.
Bloomberg has reached out to the Tuvalu government for comment but has not received a response.
Australia’s treaty in November with Tuvalu was seen as a major win for Canberra as it seeks to cement its influence in the Pacific in the face of a concerted push by the Chinese government in the region.
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