Nauru's president makes first visit to China after resuming diplomatic ties

President of the Republic of Nauru David Adeang is paying a state visit to China from March 24 to 29. The South Pacific nation cut ties with the Taiwan authorities in January and resumed diplomatic relations with China soon after.

The visit is the first by the Nauruan president since the resumption of diplomatic ties. According to Chinese officials, the trip is a chance to "consolidate political mutual trust, expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and deepen people-to-people friendship" for the two countries.

Nauru is one of the world's smallest countries, with 12,500 people. Its parliament unanimously supported the decision to sever "diplomatic ties" with the Taiwan authorities in January, announcing on its official social media handle that it will follow UN Resolution 2758, which recognizes the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China and recognizes Taiwan as an inalienable part of China's territory.

The move made Nauru the 183rd country to have diplomatic ties with China.

Just five days after the two countries signed a joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level on January 24, China's national flag was once again raised in Nauru after nearly 19 years of hiatus.

That was a sign that China-Nauru relations are embarking on a fast growth track, said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin during a regular press briefing in January.

On Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Nauru also opened its official WeChat page, calling itself China's "youngest" embassy. "China is willing to work hand-in-hand with Nauru in pushing for high-quality construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, strengthening coordination in international affairs and multilateral occasions in preserving the common interests of developing countries," the embassy wrote on its page.

Nauruan officials are also eyeing more cooperation projects with the world's second-largest economy, from infrastructure to climate change to tourism.

In a January interview with Chinese media Xinhua, Director of the Government Information Office of Nauru Joanna Olsson said the Pacific island nation has been deeply affected by climate change and is facing urgent challenges such as rising sea levels and land erosion. "Some coastal areas are being submerged," Olsson told Xinhua.

"The Belt and Road Initiative brings development opportunities to Pacific island nations, and Nauru looks forward to more practical cooperation with China after the two nations resume diplomatic relations," she said.

According to China's General Administration of Customs, the total trade volume between China and Nauru during the first 11 months of 2023 reached approximately $5.49 million.

The Juncao project, which has been very successful throughout the South Pacific islands, could also potentially be located on Nauru, said Chen Hong, executive director of the Asia Pacific Studies Centre at East China Normal University, in an interview with Global Times in January. 

Juncao technology is regarded a successful practice of China's experience in poverty alleviation in global sustainable development. As of 2023, the technology has taken root in more than 100 countries and become a brand of China's foreign aid.

China can help Nauru to further improve its business environment, and assist to build up infrastructure under the Belt and Road Initiative, said Chen. 

Due to its unfavorable natural conditions for cultivation, Nauru heavily relies on imports for agricultural products, which often resulting in high prices in the market. 

It had previously developed through phosphate mining, but that was not a long-term solution. Resource management and sustainable development were the island's top development priorities, Rong Ying, a senior research fellow from China Institute of International Studies, told Global Times.

China has rich experience in natural resource exploration, disaster prevention and mitigation as well as sustainable development, so ramping up cooperation will be mutually beneficial, Rong said.