Taiwan’s President Lai visits Pacific ally Tuvalu

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By Kirsty Needham

(Reuters) -Taiwan President Lai Ching-te arrived in Tuvalu on Wednesday, a Tuvalu official said, reinforcing ties with the remote Pacific Islands nation on the frontline of climate change.

Lai posted pictures on his Facebook page of his arrival at Funafuti airport, where he arrived by private jet from the Marshall Islands. He will stay for the day before leaving for Guam, as part of a Pacific tour of allies.

“Different countries, the same belief in democracy; different time zones, the same air of freedom,” he wrote.

Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo reaffirmed ties with Taiwan after he was elected in February, and travelled to Taipei to meet Lai for Taiwan’s national day celebrations in October.

With a population of 11,000 scattered across nine low-lying atolls, and predictions half of its main town will be submerged by rising tides by 2050, Tuvalu is reliant on donors including Taiwan to fortify its coast.

It will also be connected to international telecommunications by a subsea cable for the first time in a joint project backed by Taiwan, Australia, the United States and Japan.

Tuvalu’s national election was closely watched by China amid a tussle for influence in the Pacific region, and after one contender for prime minister said he would review Taiwan ties if elected.

China, which views Taiwan as its own territory and opposes any foreign interactions or visits by the island’s leaders, has been stepping up military pressure against Taiwan, including two rounds of war games this year.

Lai will stop over in Guam for one night and then go to Palau. He returns to Taipei on Friday night.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney and Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Kate Mayberry)