Pro-Taiwan Prime Minister Kausiya Natano lost his seat, why all countries including China and America are keeping an eye on the elections of the world’s fourth smallest country

Tuvalu, counted among the most naturally beautiful countries in the world, is an island country with only 12,000 inhabitants. But elections in the small Pacific island nation rarely make headlines. However, Tuvalu is moving towards elections to choose members of its 16-seat parliament. The reason for this lies in geopolitics. With intense geopolitical competition and China’s growing influence in the region, the vote on January 26 this year was closely watched as it could have far-reaching consequences. A large portion of the international attention is related to China’s growing importance in the region and Tuvalu’s diplomatic relations with the government of Taiwan. The proposed security treaty with Australia may also hang in the balance.

Where is Tuvalu and how many people live there?

Tuvalu is an island country in the west central Pacific Ocean. Which is located between Hawaii and Australia. It is situated on a ring-shaped coral reef, on the edge of which are 9 beautiful islands. The attraction of this place is its natural beauty. It has a population of approximately 11,500, making it one of the smallest countries in the world. A former British colony, it gained independence in 1978. The British monarch is still the head of state.

what happened in tuvalu elections

In Tuvalu all candidates contested the election as independents. Koussia Natano, the pro-Taiwan leader of the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, lost his seat in an election closely watched by Taiwan, China and the US. Natano pledged continued support for Taiwan, a diplomatic ally since 1979. Results from Funafuti voters, broadcast on Tuvalu TV on Saturday, showed that Natano failed to retain his seat.

Why was the world’s eyes on the elections?

Only 12 countries, including Tuvalu, have official diplomatic relations with the self-ruled democratic island of Taiwan, which China claims as its territory. Nauru, located in the Pacific Ocean, has also recently changed its support from Taiwan to China. This puts Tuvalu at the center of intense jockeying between Taipei and Beijing. Prime Minister Natano favors stronger ties with Taiwan and is likely to continue that support. Sopoaga also favors closer relations with Taiwan. According to The Guardian, Peniu has said he wants to review Tuvalu’s relations with both Beijing and Taipei. Sopoaga has also said that he does not support the new treaty signed between Tuvalu and Australia in November. The treaty commits Australia to assist Tuvalu in response to major natural disasters, health epidemics and military aggression.