Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/11/13
By: Joseph Yeh
Taipei, Nov. 13 (CNA) Calling Taiwan an important and productive partner
Palau President Tommy Remengesau Jr.
of his country, visiting Palau President Tommy Remengesau Jr. said Tuesday that “friendship is earned, not forced,” amid continuing pressure from China to force the Pacific country to switch recognition from Taipei to Beijing.
According to Palau’s Bureau of Immigration, visitor arrivals from China totaled 70,741 in 2016, accounting for 47 percent of the international visitors that year. The number of visitors slid to 55,491 in 2017, before dropping to 25,659 in the first six months of 2018.
The steep decline is a result of Beijing’s ban on group tours to Palau imposed in November 2017 because of the Pacific island nation’s diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Asked to comment on Chinese pressure during a press conference in Taipei, Remengesau said that respect is a very important word for the people of Palau, no matter how big or small a country is. [FULL STORY]
