Ruth Cross Kwansing Photo: Facebook / Ruth Cross Kwansing
A newly elected MP in Kiribati says the incumbent government's decision to re-establish bilateral relations with China in 2019 at Taiwan's expense has so far proved beneficial.
Ruth Cross Kwansing was one of five women elected into the 45-seat Maneaba ni Maungatabu (Parliament) this week.
Kwansing, who contested for a seat in Teinainano Urban Council (South Tarawa), was one of three successful candidates in the largest constituency.
She told RNZ Pacific there was a lot of uncertainty and concern in the community when Taneti Mamau's government cut ties with Taipei in favour of Beijing.
But she said they seem to have done so "with the best interests of the country at heart".
"And so here we are, four years later, and I think the friendship between China and Kiribati has deepened, and it has reignited more interest in the Pacific region, which is also seems to be a positive outcome," she said.
Kwansing said China's rising influence in the Pacific region is no longer as big a concern domestically as it is internationally.
She said in Kiribati most people have now accepted the switch, and the conversations are more about how best to leverage support from China and other donor partners.
"In Kiribati, like most countries, we are just concerned about the things that we need and the support that we need.
"I find it interesting that China does come under the radar as much as it does, because we have got in country presence from a few countries, and China being one of them, having been a decision of the previous government to decide that this was an important relationship to explore.
"We certainly did not understand the geopolitical implications of it, but we did understand that the government of the day were doing what they thought had the best interest of the country at heart. I think [the government] protected the interests of the country while reaching out for the support that the country needs."
The first sitting of the 13th Kiribati Parliament will be on 13 September. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koro Vaka'uta
'Very possible' to improve government inefficiencies
Kwansing, who stood as an independent in the 2024 elections, is one of three women elected for the first time.
The other women candidates are Lavinia Teatao Teem (Abaiang) and Ruta Baabo Manate (Maiana Island), a former speaker Tangariki Reete (Betio), and opposition leader in the last parliament Tessie Eria Lambourne (Abemama).
She is weighing up her options on which political party she will side with but wants to see more MPs in her constituency.
She said a lot of Kiribati's activity, in terms of health, education and government is focussed in South Tarawa, and more MPs would help get the job done.
"My biggest bugbear, if you will, is how we implement the various projects and the development assistance that we do receive," she said.
Kwansing said as a development worker, she has seen many inefficiencies "or the slowness of all the government mechanisms that are in place" that affect the implementation of much needed projects that are supposed to improve the livelihoods of I-Kiribati people.
"So, it is with that in mind that I have come in, hoping that we really change the way that we operate, just so that things become more efficient. I believe it is very possible," she added.
