China-Nauru foreign ministers meet in Beijing to shore up shift in diplomatic allegiance away from Taiwan
Wang also said a “very small number of countries” that maintained diplomatic relations with Taipei “constitute a violation of China’s sovereignty”.
China’s foreign minister urged these countries to “stand with the international community”, adding that China was willing to develop relations with them on the basis of the one-China principle.
“We look forward to the practical cooperation that’s going to happen between Nauru and China. The prospect is bright,” Aingimea said at the press conference.
Nauru established formal relations with Taiwan in 1980, but switched its official recognition to the mainland in 2002. It re-established ties with Taipei in 2005, before switching again this month.
Nauru announced on January 15 it would no longer recognise Taiwan “as a separate country” but “as an inalienable part of China’s territory”, hailing the switch as “in the best interests” of its country and people.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China, to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington opposes any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to arming Taiwan.
No need to be ‘anxious’ over China’s Pacific presence, envoy tells Australia
Beijing has repeatedly condemned President-elect Lai as a “stubborn separatist” and said he and the ruling DPP posed a risk of war to Taiwan.
Taiwan has lost 10 allies since the DPP’s Tsai Ing-wen was elected president in 2016 and rejected the one-China principle, an unofficial agreement that there is only “one China” but that each side has its own interpretation of what that means.
As a result, Beijing suspended official dialogue and exchanges with Taipei and stepped up its operations around the island. Beijing also took trade measures ahead of this month’s presidential election, cancelling tariff reductions on some Taiwanese products.
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Chinese embassy inaugurated in Honduras, as President Castro set to visit China
The last country to switch from Taipei to Beijing was Honduras in March last year. Taipei now has just 12 formal allies.
Tsai’s office lashed out at Beijing last week, saying it had lured Nauru into severing formal ties with Taiwan as “an attack on democratic values and a challenge to the international-based order”.
China not targeting Australia’s Pacific Island ties: Communist Party official
Tuvalu, another Pacific island nation, is likely to review its diplomatic ties with Taiwan after the island nation’s election on Friday, according to a report by Reuters on Wednesday.
Tuvalu is one of Taiwan’s three remaining allies in the Pacific. Under a bilateral agreement, it must consult Australia before signing security arrangements with another country.