Nicaragua’s decision to forge relations with China leaves Taiwan’s diplomatic ties down to 13 countries and the Holy See.
As Taiwan stepped up on the world stage by joining the Summit for Democracy being hosted virtually by the United States, the disputed, self-ruling island lost one of its few remaining diplomatic partners to China. The Central American nation of Nicaragua announced Thursday, hours after the two-day Summit for Democracy involving more than 100 countries began, that it would officially sever relations with Taiwan—officially the Republic of China—and forge diplomatic ties with mainland China—officially the People’s Republic of China. „The Government of the Republic of Nicaragua declares that it recognizes that in the world there is only one single China,“ a statement attributed to Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada said. „The People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents all of China, and Taiwan is in an alienable part of the Chinese territory.“ The Chinese government in Beijing, ruled by the Communist Party, requires that countries forego relations with the rival administration in Taipei in order to establish relations. „The Government of the Republic of Nicaragua today breaks diplomatic relations with Taiwan and ceases to have any contact or official relationship,“ Moncada added.
