TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has accepted the credentials of the new Ambassador of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to Taiwan, Anjanette Kattil.

Ambassador Kattil’s credentials were accepted by Tsai at a Wednesday morning (Aug. 30) ceremony that was also attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮). Ambassador Kattil thanked Tsai for a warm welcome, and said she is very happy to return to Taiwan, a place she considers to be a second home.

The ambassador said the bi-lateral relationship between the two countries has gone from strength to strength despite external pressure. She said she looks forward to working closely with the Taiwan government and people to pursue common interests and prosperity.

Kattil was appointed to the role in June after serving as the Marshall Islands’ secretary of foreign affairs for several years, per the Marshall Islands Journal. She is a career diplomat who previously served as the deputy chief of mission at the country’s embassy in Taiwan, and has worked for the Marshallese foreign ministry since 2005, serving under seven different administrations.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is one of 13 countries that continue to maintain full diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Because of this, it faces pressure from China to abandon ties with Taiwan in favor of ties with Beijing.

President Tsai accepts Ambassador Kattil's credentials on Wednesday. (Presidential Office photo)

In a January interview with the Washington Post, Marshallese Foreign Minister Kitlang Kabua said that a US$700 million (NT$22.3 billion) support deal her country recently signed with the U.S. was because of the additional leverage afforded by China's interest in establishing formal relations with her country. Despite the pressure, Kabua reaffirmed her country’s commitment to Taiwan during a visit to the country in April.

The foreign minister said the strong links between the two countries’ Indigenous peoples in particular would bring the two sides closer together. Also during the April visit, Taiwan said it would increase cooperation with the Marshall Islands in the areas of green energy and infrastructure, disaster prevention and warning systems, and personnel training.