Taiwan loses one other ally as Nauru breaks ties after China critic wins election

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The Pacific island nation of Nauru on Monday introduced it will minimize diplomatic relations with Taiwan and formally recognise mainland China as an ally as an alternative.

It comes only a day after China critic Lai Ching-te was elected Taiwan’s new president over the weekend in a vote that has been closely pressurised by Beijing, which claims the island as its personal territory.

“The Republic of Nauru will not recognise the Republic of China (Taiwan) as a separate nation however reasonably as an inalienable a part of China’s territory, and can sever ‘diplomatic relations’ with Taiwan as of today and not develop any official relations or official exchanges with Taiwan,” Nauru’s authorities mentioned in a press release.

The island nation, which has a inhabitants of simply over 12,500 folks, mentioned it was in the most effective pursuits of the nation to renew diplomatic ties with China.

China welcomed the transfer, saying it was keen to open up bilateral relations with Nauru in consequence “on the premise of the one-China precept”.

Taiwan swiftly accused China of luring Nauru with financial assist because it introduced the withdrawal of its embassy from the Pacific island. China’s intention was to “crush democracy”, Taiwan’s deputy international minister mentioned in a press release.

Nauru is the second nation to sever ties with the self-governed island in lower than a 12 months after Honduras additionally switched loyalties to China final spring.

Taiwan now maintains official diplomatic relations with simply 12 sovereign states and territories, together with the Vatican. China has lengthy waged a world marketing campaign to stress international locations into avoiding official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, saying it’s going to refuse to have any ties itself with international locations that achieve this.

Nonetheless, Taipei retains strong unofficial ties with many main international locations, together with the US, significantly in terms of boosting commerce. Taiwan is the world’s largest producer of semiconductors essential for a lot of digital units and home equipment.

China has lashed out on the US and Canada for congratulating the brand new president-elect, saying it was “crossing the pink line”.

Beijing claims the island, which has been self-ruled since a 1949 civil struggle, as a breakaway province. It has vowed to annex the island by pressure if crucial, in a course of it calls “reunification”. The Xi Jinping administration has beefed up its army presence within the waters surrounding the island to intimidate Taiwan, and has mentioned it’s aiming to have its army prepared for a possible invasion by 2027.

Given the price of having no diplomatic ties with China, most of Taiwan’s official allies are small, poor island nations within the Pacific, Caribbean, Latin America and Southern Africa.

Taiwan had 15 allies as of a few years in the past, till Nicaragua determined to interrupt off relations in December 2021. Honduras did likewise in March 2023.

The international locations that presently keep ties with Taiwan are: Belize, Guatemala, Paraguay, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Marshall Islands, Palau, Tuvalu, Eswatini and the Vatican Metropolis.

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