Fiji, Feb. 5 -- Taiwan's top representative to Australia has declared he's "quite confident" that Tuvalu won't follow Nauru's lead and switch diplomatic recognition to China, despite Beijing's attempts to "lure" politicians in the Pacific Island country.

China's ruling party remains intent on diplomatically isolating Taiwan and has intensified efforts to convince the dozen countries which maintain official relations with Taipei to recognise the People's Republic of China instead.

Tuvalu, which has a population of just 11,000, is one of three Pacific Island nations that retain ties with Taiwan rather than China.

There has been rampant speculation that Tuvalu could soon ditch Taiwan in the wake of recent elections in the Pacific nation, ...