Nauru's breaks ties with Taiwan, decision welcomed by China
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Nauru decides to resume full diplomatic relations with China, as Taiwan's international recognition grows even tighter.
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Nauru's President Russ Kun arrives for the US-Pacific Islands Country Summit at the White House, Monday, September 25, 2023, in Washington. (AP)
China's Foreign Minister stated today that Beijing welcomes and highly appreciates Nauru's decision to sever ties with Taiwan and seek the resumption of full diplomatic relations with China.
Nauru's government had announced earlier the severing of diplomatic relations with Taiwan in line with a UN resolution that recognizes China as the sole legal government representing the whole of China, affirming that it would seek to resume full diplomatic relations with China.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi declared, "As an independent sovereign country, the Republic of Nauru announces that it recognizes the one-China principle, breaks the so-called diplomatic ties with the Taiwan authorities, and is willing to reestablish diplomatic ties with China. China appreciates and welcomes the decision of the government of the Republic of Nauru." He then added that this decision showed "the one-China principle is where global opinion trends and where the arc of history bends."
Without Nauru, Taiwan only has 12 diplomatic allies left, including Paraguay, Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Marshall Islands, Palau, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Eswatini, Tuvalu and Vatican City. It is noteworthy that Taipei promotes its foreign contacts through economic and cultural representation offices.
Related News: Taiwan's president-elect Lai welcomes US delegation
General Elections in Taiwan
Taiwan held, on Saturday, a general election in which pro-independence candidate Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won with 40.05% of the vote to head the island's local administration.
For the legislature, the DPP earned 51 seats, the Kuomintang, which promotes dialogue with Beijing, gained 52 seats, and the Taiwan People's Party secured eight seats. The DPP was once represented in Taiwan's legislative assembly by 62 legislators, meaning it has lost 11 seats in the current elections.
Furthermore, the Taiwanese Central News Agency reported that for the first time since 2004, no party gained a legislative majority of at least 57 seats.
According to a CNBC report from Xinhua, Chen Binhua, the spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, expressed on Saturday that "Taiwan is China's Taiwan," emphasizing that the election does not change "the basic pattern and the development of cross-Strait relations" or change "the basic landscape and development trend of cross-Strait relations".
