Micronesia discusses diplomatic establishment with Taiwan Dissatisfied with China = President | Reuters

[１０日 ロイター] – The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, negotiated with Taiwan in February to establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan instead of China and receive $50 million in aid due to dissatisfaction with China. The outgoing President Panuelo said in a letter.

Tensions between the US and China over security influence in the Pacific islands are rising, and President Panuelo has been at the forefront of criticism of China for seeking security and trade agreements with 10 Pacific island nations. on a rice field.

In a letter to state governors seen by Reuters, the president said he met with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu in February to discuss a diplomatic switch from China to Taiwan. “We estimate that an injection of around $50 million will be required to meet our future needs. Establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan will allow us to obtain this funding in three years, and we intend to do so,” he said at the bottom .

“The Taiwanese side has guaranteed that it will take over all the projects that China is currently working on,” he wrote.

The president said Taiwan’s support “will significantly improve our security by distancing us from China, which undermines our sovereignty, denies our values, and uses our elected officials for their own purposes.” Taiwan is reportedly offering a temporary aid package of $15 million a year.

A spokesman for the president’s office in the Federated States of Micronesia declined to comment.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it could not comment on relations with other countries, but said Taiwan had always adhered to the spirit of “practical diplomacy, mutual benefit, and ‘Taiwan can help'” compared to China’s “verbal promises” . In the future, he expressed his intention to support the development of Micronesia using the Taiwan model.

Meanwhile, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Mao Ning said the reports in Mr Panuelo’s letter were “completely inconsistent with the facts”. China will adhere to the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, based on the One China principle, no matter who comes to power, he said.