Marshall Islands, Dec. 4 -- Pacific island governments should strengthen their relationship with the United States, Marshall Islands Speaker Kenneth A. Kedi said Wednesday during the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures (APIL) 60th board meeting in the CNMI House chamber on Capital Hill.

He said when APIL holds its general assembly in Hawaii next year, he will introduce a resolution reaffirming the islands' "strong ties" with the U.S.

Kedi made these remarks after Kiribati Member of Parliament Emil Christopher Schutz said the people of his island nation are "deeply divided" after their government switched its diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China.

Among the three Freely Associated States, the Marshalls and Palau have diplomatic ti...