Islands say trip is private and not sanctioned by Cabinet

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/06/16
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Officials from the Solomon Islands are visiting China (image from Legislator Wang Ding-yu’s Facebook page).

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Two Cabinet ministers and opposition figures from Taiwan ally the Solomon Islands are visiting China, reports said Saturday, inciting concern that Taipei might lose another of its 18 remaining allies.

Over the past months, the Dominican Republic and Burkina Faso switched recognition from Taiwan to China amid rising pressure from the communist country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday it was closely monitoring the situation, adding that the government of the Solomon Islands had told the Taiwanese mission that the relationship was stable.    [FULL  STORY]