Feleti Teo, the newly appointed prime minister of Tuvalu, has emphasized that the country's diplomatic relations with Taiwan are based on shared democratic values and loyalty. The new administration, which assumed office earlier this week, has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining ties with Taiwan and has no plans to shift its allegiance to Beijing [68f699b7]. The issue of switching diplomatic allegiance was a topic of discussion during the election campaign, with one candidate proposing to scrap a treaty that would give Australia veto power over any security-related agreement Tuvalu wants to make with any other country, including China [cb2289a3]. However, Prime Minister Teo has ruled out changing allegiances and stated that the question of changing ties was not an issue for the people of Tuvalu [68f699b7].
Prime Minister Teo hopes to renegotiate development assistance agreements with Taiwan and prioritize addressing the impacts of climate change and sea level rise [68f699b7]. He also wants to revisit the security treaty with Australia, which offers Tuvaluans the option of resettlement in Australia to escape rising oceans and worsening storms [68f699b7]. However, he has requested that Australia drop a clause requiring mutual agreement on third-country security agreements, as it might encroach on Tuvalu's sovereignty [68f699b7]. Australia has not yet responded to the request for further negotiation [76a91857].
In a separate development, Prime Minister Hon. Hu'akavameiliku of Tonga did not provide a reason for his resignation from the defence portfolio and Hon. Fekitamoeloa 'Utoikamanu's resignation from the Foreign Affairs and Tourism portfolios. The Prime Minister stated that his conversation with King Tupou on the matter was private. The appointment of two new ministers for Defence and Foreign Affairs will await a future decision. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently has two competing chief administrators, one appointed by the King and another appointed by the government. The Foreign Affairs Secretary has sued the Public Service Commission, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and the matter is still in court [be4ef4f3].
Nauru President David Adeang defends the country's switch in recognition from Taiwan to China, stating that he hopes Chinese investment will transform Nauru. The move to recognize China was made to attract Chinese investment. New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters visited Nauru, and Chinese influence was absent during his visit. Adeang praised Australia's offshore detention regime, which has helped prop up Nauru's economy. Adeang criticized journalists for their reporting on the Regional Processing Centre and denied allegations of corruption. Nauru, along with four other nations, threatened to leave the Pacific Islands Forum after a Micronesian candidate was overlooked for the position of secretary-general. Adeang expressed support for the Pacific Islands Forum and looks forward to contributing at the next meeting in Tonga [5352b70e].