Taipei: Taiwan and its Pacific ally, the Marshall Islands, inked a pact in Taipei on Wednesday that will pave the way for both sides to deepen their security partnership amid growing hybrid threats in the region.
According to Focus Taiwan, the letter of intent was signed by Taiwan's National Security Bureau (NSB) head Tsai Ming-yen and the Marshallese top diplomat Kalani Kaneko, as announced by the NSB in a news release. Kaneko is part of a delegation led by President of the Marshall Islands Hilda Heine, who arrived in Taiwan on Monday for a six-day visit.
The pact aims to help the Pacific island state enhance its security through collaborations in areas such as "maritime domain awareness, cybersecurity, and countering foreign malign influence." The agreement includes commitments to information sharing, capacity-building programs, and joint operations, although no further details were provided.
The signing of this pact occurs against the backdrop of China's attempts to expand its influence in the South Pacific by "launching cyberattacks, spreading disinformation, and other activities in recent years." The statement also referenced Heine's comments in 2024 about the Marshall Islands establishing a National Security Office in response to foreign maritime threats and infiltration.
Taiwan is focused on addressing the various hybrid threats facing its diplomatic allies and is ready to strengthen cooperation with them to jointly "enhance cybersecurity" and "counter the Chinese Communist Party's cognitive warfare abroad," as stated in the release.