Taiwan denies reports of stationing troops in Tuvalu Taiwan news

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday (March 30) refuted media reports that Taiwan has a large military presence in its diplomatic ally Tuvalu.

The foreign ministry said in a release that the report cited “unconfirmed information” claiming 1,000 personnel from the Taiwanese navy and marines were in Tuvalu. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the report “absolutely untrue” and called on the media to verify the information before publishing the article, and not to spread false information, which will affect the cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and countries with diplomatic relations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that Tuvalu Prime Minister Kosia Natano signed a joint communiqué reaffirming diplomatic ties during his visit to Taiwan in September. During the visit, three agreements involving bilateral cooperation in the fields of law enforcement, coast guard and marine scientific research were also signed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also pointed out that Tuvalu’s Foreign Minister Simon Coffey withdrew from the 2022 UN Ocean Conference to protest China’s abuse of power, and threatened to revise the list of Tuvalu’s delegation and expel participating Taiwan experts.

The foreign ministry said Taiwan would continue to cooperate with allies and like-minded countries to counter China’s “malign influence on the international stage”.

Taiwan and Tuvalu share a close and friendly relationship based on the common values ​​of democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. The two sides will continue to cooperate in areas such as medical care, education, and culture. , clean energy, maritime security, police management, climate change, and information and communications.

The foreign ministry said the two countries will also deepen their long-term mutually beneficial partnership.