Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a five-day visit as the two countries kicked off a quarantine-free “travel bubble.” The president was accompanied by John Hennessey-Nila, the U.S. ambassador to Koror, marking the first American ambassador to visit the self-ruled democracy in 43 years.

An archipelago of over 500 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, Palau is one of 15 countries that have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and pressures other countries against recognizing Taiwan as an independent state.

Palau, which is set to fully vaccinate all of its 18,000-strong population, had thanked the U.S. government for its aid in the inoculation rollout. It is also why the U.S. envoy is accompanying the delegation, as the travel bubble is the result of the efforts of Taiwan, Palau and the U.S., said Whipps. Under the travel bubble, residents of each country can travel without quarantine restrictions.

The arrival of Hennessey-Niland marks the first Taiwan visit by an American ambassador since the United States severed diplomatic relations with the island in 1979, Su Tzu-yun, a senior analyst at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told CNA.

His visit is “not trivial,” said Lin Ting-hui, deputy secretary-general of the Taiwanese Society of International Law. The move demonstrates a new model of alliance as the three states cooperate for the first time, he added.

Though Palau may be a small country, sending an official ambassador on the trip shows the U.S. is taking a more assertive orientation in its policy on Taiwan, no longer limiting itself to the parameters of the Taiwan Relations Act, Lin said.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has lifted restrictions on communication between American officials and their Taiwanese counterparts before his departure in January. It is possible that Washington may establish official channels with Taipei in the future, said Lin. He also predicts that the three countries will hold joint military drills.

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