TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan and the Marshall Islands formalized a security partnership Wednesday (June 4) through a letter of intent signed in Taipei, establishing a framework for closer collaboration against regional maritime threats and infiltration operations. The Pacific Island nation, one of Taiwan's 12 remaining diplomatic allies, sent Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Kitlang Kabua to sign the agreement, while Taiwan was represented by Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥), who heads the National Security Bureau (國家安全局, NSB), the island democracy's primary intelligence agency.
The security initiative originated with Marshall Islands President Hilda C. Heine, who first proposed the agreement during bilateral discussions in November 2024 and is currently making a six-day state visit to Taiwan until Saturday (June 7). According to Taiwan's security officials, the partnership responds to growing concerns about Beijing's escalating cyber operations and information warfare tactics throughout the South Pacific region. The Taiwanese intelligence agency specifically cited China's increased deployment of cyberattacks and coordinated disinformation campaigns targeting island nations, developments that both Taiwan and the Marshall Islands view as destabilizing forces requiring a joint security response.
The agreement establishes mechanisms for expanded intelligence exchange between the two governments, along with provisions for specialized security training programs and potential joint operational activities aimed at preserving stability across the Pacific. Wednesday's formal signing ceremony featured several key diplomatic figures, including Taiwan's Ambassador to the Marshall Islands, Steve C.C. Hsia (夏季昌), alongside Joe Bejang, who chairs the Nitijela Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, a key parliamentary body in the Marshall Islands' legislative system. Isabela Silk, who serves as the deputy minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the Marshall Islands, also attended the proceedings that officials from both countries characterized as a significant advancement in their security relationship. ◼