Sydney:
This Pacific island nation has severed ties with Taiwan and switched to China.
The South Pacific nation of Nauru announced on Monday that it would sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan and recognize China as its replacement, according to government posts on social media.
President David Adane announced the decision in a national address posted on his official Facebook page, explaining “the decision of the Government of Nauru to recognize the People’s Republic of China.”
The Nauru government said in a media release that it no longer recognizes Taiwan as an “independent country” but as an “integral part of Chinese territory.”
The announcement added that Nauru would “immediately sever diplomatic relations” with Taiwan and “will no longer develop any official relations or exchanges with Taiwan.”
The decision is likely to be seen as a major coup for Beijing. Nauru is one of the few countries to officially recognize Taiwan on a diplomatic basis.
Currently, only 12 states, including the Holy See, fully recognize Taiwan.
Nauru, with a population of about 12,500, is the latest Pacific nation to turn its back on its long-standing relationship with Taiwan.
In 2019, the Solomon Islands similarly announced that it would switch its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China.
In Africa, only Eswatini officially recognizes Taiwan, while seven countries in Latin America have full diplomatic relations with Taiwan, including Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, and Paraguay.
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