Jan. 15 (UPI) — The tiny Micronesian nation of Nauru announced Monday it was severing its relationship with Taiwan to form diplomatic ties with China.
Nauru announced its decision to switch alliances after Taiwan overwhelmingly electing Lai Ching-te of the incumbent Democratic Progressive party president on Saturday.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry confirmed Nauru’s decision, and said the announcement was timed to undermine its democratic contest.
“With deep regret we announce the termination of diplomatic relations with Nauru,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement published to X on Monday afternoon.
“This timing is not only China’s retaliation against our democratic elections but also a direct challenge to the international order. Taiwan stands unbowed & will continue as a force for good.”
With deep regret we announce the termination of diplomatic relations with Nauru. This timing is not only China’s retaliation against our democratic elections but also a direct challenge to the international order. Taiwan stands unbowed & will continue as a force for good.— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) (@MOFA_Taiwan) January 15, 2024
With Nauru’s decision, Taiwan has only 12 formal diplomatic relations, including with the Holy See.
A Beijing foreign ministry spokesperson said Monday that China “appreciates and welcomes” the decision of Nauru to recognize the one-China principle.
“There is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China,” the spokesperson said.
“The Nauru government’s decision of re-establishing diplomatic ties with China once again shows that the one-China principle is where global opinion trends and where the arc of history bends.”
Though Taiwan has never been a part of mainland China, which was founded in 1949, Beijing claims sovereignty over the self-governing island, which it views as a wayward province that it has vowed to take back by force if necessary.
China forces those it has diplomatic relationship to recognize the one-China principle.
Eleven countries have severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan since 2016, as China forces those it has diplomatic relationship to recognize the one-China principle. Honduras was the most recent country to cut ties with the self-governing island, which it did in March.
Though the United States recognized the one-China principle in 1979, it still maintains a partnership with Taiwan, which it has sought to deepen amid growing tensions with Beijing.