Taiwan's Lai faces test in holding onto Pacific island partners

Regional tour seeks to prevent more diplomatic realignment toward China

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Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te visits a market during his stay in the Marshall Islands on Dec. 3. (Photo by Tsukasa Hadano)

TSUKASA HADANO and RURIKA IMAHASHI, Nikkei staff writers

HAGATNA, Guam/SYDNEY --Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te, is on a tour of three Pacific island nations this week to try to keep them onside as China whittles away at Taiwanese diplomatic partners in the region.

The trip marks the first by a Taiwanese leader to Pacific island nations since Lai's predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, visited in March 2019.

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