Palau Defies Beijing Pressure, Reaffirms Support for Taiwan at Hospital Opening

During the opening of a new Shin Kong Wu Ho-su Memorial Hospital building in Taipei, President William Lai lauded Taiwan’s contributions to democracy, technology and public health, and noted the island’s exclusion from many international bodies due to Beijing’s pressure. Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr., a long-time ally of Taiwan, affirmed that his nation will not yield to Chinese threats aimed at undermining Taiwanese independence, even as China has tried to influence Palau’s presidential race.

Whipps cited the hospital’s ongoing support—over 450 professionals and more than 15,000 medical interventions—as a key factor in Palau’s continued alignment with Taiwan. He warned that coercion against Palau could set a precedent for other Pacific states. Shin Kong Hospital president Hou Sheng-mou cited over 6,500 treatment referrals facilitated through the partnership. The event underscored the strategic importance of health cooperation in sustaining diplomatic ties in the Pacific.