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Kiribati: Pro-China President Taneti Maamau wins reelection

June 23, 2020

Kiribati leader Taneti Maamau, who campaigned for closer ties with Beijing, has emerged victorious in a tight race for the presidency, underscoring the island nation’s diplomatic switch towards China.

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Kiribati-Führer Taneti Maamau
Image: Getty Images/M. Schiefelbein

Kiribati's pro-Beijing incumbent President Taneti Maamau has been reelected after a presidential election battle dubbed one of the most aggressive campaigns in the island nation's history.

Maamau's win reaffirmed the country's recent diplomatic switch from Taiwan to Beijing.

Maamau won 26,053 votes compared with his rival Banuera Berina's 17,866, winning the four-year term. He won a majority of votes in 16 of the 23 island constituencies.

"We are drafting a statement to concede defeat," opposition spokesman Rimon Rimon told Reuters. Maamau faced Berina, his ally-turned-rival, who is known to be sympathetic towards Taiwan.

Kiribati's parliament has seen loyalties evenly split between candidates. Maamau is expected to start approaching opposition legislators to gain a majority following his win.

The Central Pacific island nation, the site of a mothballed Chinese space tracking station in the ocean, switched recognition to Taiwan in 2003. But last year, that switch was reversed. This election was primarily fought on the China-Taiwan divide, according to former president Anote Tong.

"Primarily, it has been about the Taiwan-China issue," said Tong. "In my experience, it's the most aggressive campaign that I've seen," referring to it as a bidding war of policies and contentious claims over what Kiribati could gain from relations with Beijing.

Notably, China had given over $4.2 million to Kiribati for "livelihood projects" during the lead up to the vote, the government said. However, Beijing insists that China does not interfere with the country's internal affairs.

"China is willing to work with the Kiribati government, on the basis of the one-China principle, to promote the continuous development of Sino-Kiribati ties, to help with the well-being of both countries' people," China's foreign ministry said.

Read more:  Australia to spend billions to counter China in Pacific islands

see/msh (Reuters)

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