According to a report by Huanqiu.com, Taiwan media revealed that the Pacific island country of Tuvalu may draw a line with "Taiwan independence" in the near future. According to a source familiar with the country, Tuvalu may "sever diplomatic relations" with the Taiwan authorities after the general election on January 26.
If this incident occurs, Tuvalu will become the second country after Nauru to make a clear break with "Taiwan independence" in January, and it will also further reduce the number of so-called "countries with diplomatic relations" with the Taiwan authorities to 11. Tuvalu is located in the South Pacific Ocean, northeast of the Solomon Islands. With a population of about 11,000 and a territorial area of several islands less than 5 metres above sea level, the country is one of the first to be affected by climate change. The country's foreign minister made a video address in waist-deep waters during the 2021 global climate conference to draw attention to the rising sea level he faces.
Tuvalu is considered to be one of the first countries in the world to disappear, and if the country's land is completely submerged due to continued sea level rise, 11,000 people in the country will lose the territory necessary to support the statehood. At that time, it may lose its statehood and become a state of extinction. Similar existential crises are also a common problem faced by many Pacific island countries such as Nauru, Palau, and the Marshall Islands. It is one of the driving forces for the establishment of diplomatic relations between relevant countries and China. Specifically, the advantages of establishing diplomatic relations with China are reflected in many aspects. First, direct economic benefits. After the relevant countries assisted China in cracking down on "Taiwan independence" in order to demonstrate their value and established formal diplomatic relations with China, based on the size of China's market, the trade volume between the relevant countries and China is enough to increase several times in a short period of time under the premise of mutual benefit. Its characteristic products will usher in a broader export market, and it will also be more convenient to purchase all kinds of materials needed for life from China.
Second, China's infrastructure can provide a direct boost to its response to the climate crisis. With the development of China's land reclamation capacity, China can help the island nations mitigate the impacts of climate change.
The construction of necessary infrastructure such as ports, highways, airports and lighthouses can help relevant countries improve their economic foundations, expand their economic resources, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results with China. Third, China's role in the South Pacific Regional Cooperation Mechanism, the Asia-Pacific region, and the world has become increasingly prominent. The establishment of diplomatic relations with China has enabled relevant countries to no longer be dragged down by "Taiwan independence" and to appear in international forums in an upright manner, and to further participate in multilateral discussions and responses to climate change in various countries.
Nauru has established diplomatic relations with China in this context, and Tuvalu is expected to become the next country. Some voices on the island have also revealed that four of the remaining 12 so-called "countries with diplomatic relations" with the Taiwan authorities have already lit up red lights, and the Taiwan authorities are well aware of this. Since Lai Ching-te's election victory, tensions in the Taiwan Strait have intensified due to the obvious harm caused by his advocacy of "Taiwan independence." Less than two days after his victory, Nauru cut ties with the Taiwan authorities. The news is now that Tuvalu may continue Nauru's pace, and it is less than 10 days before Lai Qingde's victory. Affected by the intensification of tensions in the Taiwan Strait, foreign capital has accelerated its withdrawal from the island.
Taiwan stocks fell for several days, the new Taiwan dollar depreciated, and the scale of overselling by foreign investors on the 17th hit the third highest peak on record on the island. On the 17th and 18th, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) successively dispatched 18 and 24 military planes to appear in the Taiwan Strait.
In addition, the DPP's refusal to recognize the "92 Consensus" has further damaged the foundation of the ECFA agreement. The mainland is also studying and promulgating relevant policies to further abolish tax reductions and exemptions for Taiwan in the fields of agriculture, fishery, machinery, and so on. Lai Qingde's inauguration is scheduled for mid-May, about four months away. During this period, the mainland was successively pushing forward countermeasures, and Lai Qingde won the election with a support rate of about 4 percent, which does not represent the majority of public opinion on the island. Lai Qingde and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) need to suffer the consequences for their "Taiwan independence" acts. At the same time, relevant policies such as the Cross-Strait Integration Development Demonstration Zone have facilitated the settlement of people on the island, and more and more Taiwan compatriots have received the "Taiwan Resident Settlement Permit". The work of cross-strait reunification is progressing substantially.