The president of Palau on Tuesday defended his small Pacific island nation's diplomatic ties with Taiwan amid pressure from China and called for closer cooperation with Japan on economic development, maritime security and ocean conservation.In an interview with Kyodo News in Tokyo, Surangel Whipps, co-chairing an international conference of island nations from Wednesday, said small island nations must be free to choose their own international partners.Palau is one of just 12 countries with formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the self-governed island that China claims as a province to be reu…READ FULL ARTICLE
