Taiwan and the Marshall Islands reaffirmed their diplomatic partnership, a positive sign for Taiwan's efforts to maintain international support amid pressure from China.

• President Lai Ching-te met Marshall Islands parliament speaker Brenson Wase, pledging to work with the Marshall Islands and like-minded countries to protect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
• Wase reaffirmed support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the UN system and international bodies, and thanked Taiwan for being first to help after a fire destroyed the Marshall Islands' parliament building.
• The two countries are deepening economic ties, with a bilateral economic cooperation agreement that took effect last year and a new joint ministerial committee set up last month to push trade and industry exchanges.
• Lai pointed to 28 years of diplomatic relations built on shared Austronesian culture and democratic values, with cooperation spanning agriculture, health care, women's empowerment, and climate change.

Outlook: Expect continued parliamentary and economic exchanges between the two countries, with Taiwan likely to keep leaning on such partnerships to push back against diplomatic isolation.