The South Pacific nation of Nauru has announced it is severing diplomatic ties with Taiwan and would instead recognise China, according to a government post on social media. President David Adeang announced the decision on Monday in a national address posted to an official Facebook page, explaining \u201cthe Nauru government\u2019s decision to recognise the People\u2019s Republic of China\u201d. The Nauru government said \u201cin the best interests\u201d of the country and its people it was seeking full resumption of diplomatic relations with China. It added that it would \u201csever diplomatic relations\u201d with Taiwan immediately, and \u201cno longer develop any official relations or official exchanges\u201d with it. \u201cThis change is in no way intended to affect our existing warm relationships with other countries,\u201d the Nauru government statement said. \u201cNauru remains a sovereign and independent nation and wants to maintain friendly relations with other countries.\u201d Following the switch, Taiwan in turn said it was ending diplomatic relations with Nauru \u201cto safeguard our national dignity\u201d, said Taiwan\u2019s Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang. China claims Taiwan as its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taiwan strongly disagrees. The small Pacific Islands nation\u2019s move marks Taiwan\u2019s first diplomatic ally switching to Beijing following Saturday\u2019s presidential election. William Lai Ching-te from Taiwan\u2019s governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the election as expected and will take office on May 20. Before the election, China called Lai a dangerous separatist. China appreciates and welcomes the Nauru government\u2019s decision to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan, China\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday, following Nauru\u2019s announcement. Beijing is willing to open a new chapter in bilateral relations with Nauru on the basis of its one-China principle, the ministry said in a statement. Nauru\u2019s move leaves Taiwan with only 12 diplomatic allies that recognise the island as a sovereign state, including Guatemala, Paraguay, Palau, the Marshal Islands and Eswatini \u2013 formerly known as Swaziland. Taiwan and China have engaged in a diplomatic tug-of-war to lure allies in the Pacific region, offering generous aid packages and assistance in agricultural and educational development. Taiwan also cut its 17-year diplomatic relationship with Nauru in July 2002. But the two countries patched things up in 2005 when Nauru switched back to Taiwan. The island microstate, with a population of 12,500, is one of the world\u2019s smallest countries and lies about 4,000km (2,500 miles) northeast of the Australian city of Sydney.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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