Taiwan and Palau are tightening their diplomatic ties, a small but meaningful win for Taipei as it fights to keep the few allies it has left.

• Palau's new ambassador to Taiwan, Gaafar Uherbelau, formally took up his post in Taipei.
• Lai Ching-te thanked Palau for backing Taiwan at the UN, the World Health Assembly, and the Pacific Islands Forum.
• Palau is one of the handful of countries that still recognize Taiwan over China, making its support valuable as Beijing pressures others to switch sides.
• The two sides have swapped visits repeatedly in the past two years, including Taiwan's vice president traveling to Palau in June.
• Uherbelau is a former health minister and pointed to decades of ties in schooling, medical care, and technical help as the base of the relationship.

Outlook: Expect more Taiwan-Palau cooperation deals and joint appearances at international bodies, with China likely to keep pushing Pacific island states to cut Taipei loose.