Taiwan congratulates Tuvalu on completing polls, rejects media reports of diplomatic concerns

Taipei [Taiwan], January 27 : Taiwan's Foreign Ministry on Saturday congratulated Tuvalu on completing its elections smoothly while rejecting media reports that the self-governing island might be dealing with another diplomatic blow in the Pacific region, the Central News Agency of Taiwan reported.
Ling Tung-heng, Taiwan's ambassador to Tuvalu, congratulated Tuvalu's Governor-General Tofiga Falani and elected legislators on Friday's elections, according to a MOFA news statement.
Notably, Taiwan and Tuvalu established formal diplomatic relations in 1979, and bilateral relationships have remained "stable and strong" for the past 45 years, reported the Central News agency of Taiwan.
Taiwan expressed a desire to continue collaborating with Tuvalu to promote the Pacific island nation's development and reaction to climate change.
In a second statement published Saturday, MOFA disputed recent media allegations that Tuvalu, like Nauru, may terminate diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favour of China following its parliamentary elections.
"The majority of the newly elected members of the parliament are supportive of the Taiwan-Tuvalu relationship," the Taiwanese MOFA said, according to the Central News Agency of Taiwan.
Notably, Tuvalu's Taiwan-friendly Prime Minister Kausea Natano lost his parliamentary seat in Friday's (January 26) election, casting doubt on the two nations' future diplomatic ties.
According to media reports, Tuvalu's finance minister, Seve Paeni, is expected to head the country.
The prime minister will be chosen in the next few days, following the recently concluded polls in Tuvalu.