Tuvalu’s new premier says democracy and loyalty are reasons for preferring Taiwan over Beijing

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The new prime minister in the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu said on Friday his country shares democratic values with Taiwan and reaffirmed that his government would maintain diplomatic ties with Taipei, ruling out a shift to Beijing.

Prime Minister Feleti Teo spoke to The Associated Press via Zoom, his first interview with international media since his government took office earlier this week.

“Our ties with Taiwan are purely based on democratic principles and they have been very loyal to us,” Teo said.

Teo, a 61-year-old first-time lawmaker, and his eight Cabinet ministers were sworn into office on Wednesday, a month after general elections in the strategically significant nation of 11,500 people half way between Australia and Hawaii.

Election campaign issues included whether Tuvalu should switch its diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing. An elected candidate proposed scrapping a treaty, which has yet to be ratified, that would give Australia veto power over any security-related agreement Tuvalu wants to make with any other country, including China.

The new administration announced it would maintain diplomatic ties with the self-governing Taiwan. China has claimed Taiwan since a 1949 split amid civil war.

“We don’t see any reason why we need to invest in time to discuss and engage in the two-China discussion,” he added, referring to the counter-policy from the “One China” principle, which is China’s view that it has sovereignty over the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

Seve Paeniu, who was finance minister in the previous government and was considered a leadership contender in the election, had argued for Tuvalu’s relationships with both Taiwan and Beijing to be reviewed. Paeniu