Palau is one of just 12 countries that has official diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The country's president, Surangel Whipps Jr., has vowed to stick by Taiwan despite pressure from China. TaiwanPlus sat down with President Whipps in Palau’s former capital of Koror as he begins his second term in office.

China warned on Thursday that the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party authorities' attempt to seek "Taiwan independence" will lead nowhere, as the so-called Foreign Minister of Taiwan Lin Chia-lung attended the inauguration ceremony of the president of Palau as a "presidential envoy."

By dispatching its foreign minister to the event, Tokyo seems intent on asserting its influence - and avoiding being upstaged by Beijing In a gesture heavy with symbolism, strategy and no small measure of urgency,

The Biden administration is seeking to shore up ties with countries in the Indo-Pacific in its waning days in office by sending to Congress three key agreements that would cement relations with critical allies and partners in the region,

BEIJING -- The attempts by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in Taiwan to seek "independence" and split the country by relying on foreign support will come to nothing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Thursday.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on Wednesday painted a dark vision of the consequences of America's “unbalanced relationship” with China, echoing President-elect Donald Trump's anti-globalist rhetoric as he vies to be confirmed as his secretary of state.

China has ramped up efforts to poach Taiwan’s Pacific Island allies. So far, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Nauru have switched recognition to Beijing over the past six years. In August, Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. said that China was pressuring him to break ties with Taiwan in exchange for Chinese tourists.

With Honiara as host of this year’s Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, China could see its influence at the regional body soar.

Now the trilateral seems more likely to break down. Its close association with the polarising Mr Yoon had made it unpopular in South Korea from the start. After his failed putsch, the stigma will be even greater. Any successor is likely to at least slow, if not reverse, the changes that America had so desired.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita held a meeting with Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Enrique Manalo, on Wednesday. The

UXOs contaminate the Pacific but there's little clean-up funding despite hundreds of millions of dollars being spent on new defense infrastructure.

“Palau will hold its inauguration ceremony of the president and vice president on Jan. 16, and Minister Lin Chia-lung will serve as a special emissary of the (Taiwan) president, leading a delegation to Palau to express congratulations on behalf of the Republic of China’s (Taiwan) government and people,” Lan said.