Taiwan has lost Nicaragua as a diplomatic ally after the Central American country said it is officially recognize only China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory. The move leaves Taiwan with 14 countries globally that recognize it.
, which do not formally recognize Taiwan as a country. Now, Taipei has 14 diplomatic allies remaining.
China has been poaching Taiwan’s diplomatic allies over the past few years, cutting down the number of countries that recognize the democratic island as a sovereign nation. China is against Taiwan representing itself in global forums or in diplomacy.The Nicaraguan government signed an official communique to re-establish diplomatic ties with China in Tianjin on Friday, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
“Everyone could see early on that this diplomatic relationship couldn’t be kept,” said Antonio C. Hsiang, a professor at La Academia Nacional de Estudios Y Estrategicos in Chile and an expert on Taiwan’s relations in Latin America. “The arbitrary imprisonment of nearly 40 opposition figures since May, including seven potential presidential candidates, and the blocking of political parties from participation rigged the outcome well before election day,” said President Joe Biden in a statement in November in response to Ortega’s election.