Government to reallocate Solomons, Kiribati funds to Pacific allies

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/09/22
By: Elaine Hou and Joseph Yeh

Taipei, Sept. 22 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is scheduled to appropriate funding originally allocated to the Solomon Islands and Kiribati and disperse it to Taiwan's remaining four Pacific allies after the two island-states decided to end diplomatic ties earlier this week, according to a diplomatic source.

Taiwan cut diplomatic ties with the Solomon Islands and Kiribati on Monday and Friday, respectively, after the two countries decided to establish formal relations with China.

The severing of ties with the two Pacific nations leaves Taiwan with only 15 diplomatic allies worldwide.

A diplomatic source told reporters earlier this week that MOFA had sent its 2020 annual budget proposal to the Legislative Yuan in late August and it awaiting lawmakers' approval.6
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