TAIPEI: Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu insisted Friday that ties with the Solomon Islands were "rock solid" as speculation mounted that the Pacific nation could switch recognition to China after it sent a top delegation to Beijing.
Wu stressed that Taiwan "highly cherished" relations with the 17 countries that officially recognise Taipei rather than Beijing, especially the Solomon Islands which is one of its oldest allies.
He described ties with the Solomon Islands as "rock solid" in a tweet after meeting Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare while attending a regional conference in Tuvalu, also a Taiwan ally.
The Solomon Islands is being courted by China which has been investing heavily in the Pacific.
China still sees self-ruling democratic Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if must.
Relations between Beijing and Taipei have plummeted since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016 because her party refuses to recognise the idea that Taiwan is part of "one China".
As punishment, Beijing has cut official communications, increased military exercises, poached five of Taipei's diplomatic allies and blocked it from attending a string of international events.
China has also stepped up economic pressure on Taiwan, including banning individual tourists to the island.
The Solomons, where only about 50 percent of the population have access to electricity, is heavily reliant on foreign aid.
The impoverished South Pacific archipelago is being pressured to sever ties with Taiwan and join up with China's multibillion-dollar "Belt and Road Initiative".
A Solomons delegation which includes six ministers is currently visiting China on a trip funded by Beijing, according to the Solomon Star News.
The trip came as Sogavare recently appointed a task force "to look into the option" of switching diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China, the report said.
Taiwan said it had been briefed by the Solomons government about the visit.
"We believe that most Solomon Islands politicians and the general public are aware of the traps behind China's wooing ... the communication channels between Taiwan and the Solomon Islands are smooth and our relations are stable while various cooperation projects are going on as scheduled," foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou said in a statement.
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