What’s new: China has welcomed the Pacific Island nation of Nauru’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan as it seeks to reestablish official ties with Beijing, following the recent leadership election in Taiwan.
“China stands ready to work with Nauru to open new chapters of our bilateral relations on the basis of one-China principle,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement published on the ministry’s website Monday.
Nauru, an island nation northeast of Australia with a population of around 10,000, is the first country to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing after Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party candidate Lai Ching-te won the island’s election on Saturday.
What’s more: Beginning Monday, Nauru recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the whole of China and sees Taiwan as “an inalienable part of China’s territory,” the Nauru’s government said in a statement on its Facebook account.
Nauru has switched its diplomatic alliance between Beijing and Taipei several times, establishing relations with Taipei in 1980, changing to Beijing in 2002 and back to Taipei in 2005.
Nauru’s cutting ties leaves Taiwan with 12 diplomatic allies globally — most of them located in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Asia Pacific, as well as the Vatican in Europe.
A total of 182 countries have established diplomatic relations with Beijing, most recently Honduras, which ended ties with Taiwan in March 2023.
Contact reporter Kelly Wang (jingzhewang@caixin.com) and editor Jonathan Breen (jonathanbreen@caixin.com)
Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter.
