World > Oceania > Kiribati > Foreign Relations (Notes)

Kiribati - Foreign Relations (Notes)

FOREIGN RELATIONS Kiribati maintains friendly relations with most countries and has particularly close ties to its Pacific neighbors--Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Under President Tito, Kiribati had particularly close relations with China and allowed Beijing to establish a satellite tracking station on South Tarawa. In November 2003, however, President Tong announced the establishment of full diplomatic relations with Taiwan. China's tracking station closed shortly thereafter. Australia, Taiwan, New Zealand, and very recently Cuba maintain resident diplomatic missions in Kiribati.