What the Tuvalu election means for China-Pacific relations

By KEIRAN SMITH
Associated Press

SYDNEY (AP) — It’s a tiny Pacific island nation, one of the world’s smallest. But on Friday elections in Tuvalu will be watched from Beijing to Canberra, as voters choose a 16-seat parliament and, after negotiations, a prime minister. A big part of the international attention is linked to the increasing importance of China in the region, and Tuvalu’s diplomatic ties to the government of Taiwan. A proposed security treaty with Australia could also hang in the balance.