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