Taiwan said it received assurances from Tuvalu's new prime minister Monday that ties were "everlasting," shattering rumors that the Pacific Island nation was poised to flip alliances to Beijing.
Former attorney general Feleti Teo was named premier in a ceremony on Monday, a month after an election that put Tuvalu's recognition of Taiwan in question.
With a population of just 11,000, Tuvalu is one of just 12 states that still have formal diplomatic relations with Taipei rather than Beijing.