TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) congratulated the Marshall Islands for electing Hilda Heine as its new president on Tuesday (Jan. 2).

Heine had already served as head of state from 2016 to 2020. The Marshall Islands in the western Pacific Ocean are one of Taiwan’s 13 official diplomatic allies.

In late November, the country chose a new 33-seat parliament known as the Nitijela. After being sworn in Tuesday morning, the lawmakers elected Heine as the country’s president, MOFA said.

The ambassador in Majuro, Steve Hsia (夏季昌), relayed best wishes from the government and people of Taiwan to the new head of state. Taipei is also planning to send a delegation to the Marshall Islands to meet the new president and ministers, though MOFA did not mention who would lead the group.

Taiwan will continue with cooperative projects involving basic infrastructure, healthcare, food security, climate change, and women’s rights, MOFA said.