Marshall Islands elects new President, may end Taiwan recognition

FIJI, Lawmakers elected Litokwa Tomeing as President of the Marshall Islands on Monday, a move that is likely to end the South Pacific nation's diplomatic recognition of Taiwan.

Former Speaker Tomeing beat two-term President Kessai Note by 18 votes to 15, chief electoral officer Carl Alik said.

The Nitijela, the Marshalls' parliament, also elected Jurelang Zedkaia as speaker and Alik Alik as his deputy, Carl Alik said.

The Marshalls' general elections in November were marked by controversy and recounts. Before the poll, Tomeing defected from the left-leaning United Democratic Party to the conservative United People's Party. After the vote, the UPP formed a coalition with the main opposition Aelon Kein Ad (Our Islands) party to oust the UDP, which had ruled since 2000.

Tomeing had vowed to end the Marshalls' diplomatic recognition of Taiwan and adhere to the "one China" policy that identifies the island as Chinese territory.

Taiwanese officials have accused China of interfering in the Marshalls' elections by funneling money through local businessmen to opposition candidates.

Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949. The two sides have since been engaged in an all-out contest to win the diplomatic allegiance of nations around the world.

In recent years, China's rising political and economic clout has helped it persuade more countries to recognize Beijing instead of Taipei, reducing the number of Taiwan's allies to only 24 - most of them small and impoverished nations in Latin America, Africa and the South Pacific.

About 62,000 people live in the Marshall Islands, which became independent in 1986 after being administered by the United States. Tomeing is only the fourth elected head of state since the republic was founded. Tomeing and Zedkaia are both tribal chiefs.

Suva, Monday, AP