bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Catherine Wong

Lawrence Chung

China’s senior diplomat hit back at the United States on Friday over pressure on Central American nations not to switch recognition from Taipei to Beijing, saying more countries would make the change.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi took aim at Washington after Beijing established formal ties with Managua.
In a meeting with his Nicaraguan counterpart Denis Moncada in Tianjin, Wang said few countries remained allies of Taiwan because of the island’s “money diplomacy” and pressure from the US.
Wang said Nicaragua’s decision to switch sides put it on “the right side of history” and mainland China must eventually reunite with Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing considers as a breakaway province.
He also accused the US of having “outside standards” on the issue.
“The US itself established diplomatic relations with China some 40 years ago. What right do they have to prevent other sovereign countries from making their own choices?”
As US democracy summit begins, questions rise about how ‘democracy’ is defined
A delegation from the Central American nation – headed by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s son Laureano Ortega Murillo, presidential adviser for investments, trade and international cooperation – arrived in Tianjin on Friday for talks with Chinese foreign vice-minister Ma Zhaoxu.
A senior Chinese official involved in preparations for the visit said it was intended as a response to the US’ democracy summit.
“It’s a gift for the so-called summit for democracy, and a slap in the face for the US and Taiwan,” said the official, according to a person familiar with the conversation.
According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua was willing to take part in China’s Belt and Road Initiative and improve cooperation in all areas.
During their three-day trip to China, the delegation is also likely to hold talks with Chinese economic officials, according to the source.
The establishment of diplomatic ties between Beijing and Managua follows months of worsening relations between the Ortega government and Washington.
On Friday, the State Department slapped sanctions on Nestor Moncada Lau, a national security adviser to Ortega, over his alleged operation of an import and customs fraud scheme to enrich members of Ortega’s government.
Last month, US President Joe Biden attacked Ortega, calling Nicaragua’s presidential election a “pantomime”, with the former Marxist guerrilla and Cold War adversary of the US winning a fourth consecutive term.
Nicaragua power couple guaranteed win in ‘sham’ election
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said Nicaragua’s decision to break diplomatic ties with Taiwan did not reflect the will of the Nicaraguan people because its government was not freely elected.
“We do know, however, that this deprives Nicaragua’s people of a steadfast partner in its democratic and economic growth,” Price said.
“We encourage all countries that value democratic institutions, transparency, the rule of law, and promoting economic prosperity for their citizens to expand engagement with Taiwan.”
Will Taiwan’s allies switch allegiance to Beijing to obtain vaccines?
The Nicaraguan foreign ministry said it recognised there was only a single China.
“The People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents all of China and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory,” it said.
“The government of the Republic of Nicaragua today breaks diplomatic relations with Taiwan and ceases to have any contact or official relationship.”
This is the second time Nicaragua has severed diplomatic ties with the island. In 1985 it cut its 55-year recognition of Taipei, before switching back in 1990, under former president Violeta Barrios Torres de Chamorro.


Beijing has been stepping up pressure on Taiwan since Tsai Ing-wen, from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, became the island’s president in 2016. It has won over eight of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, four of them in Latin America.
Tsai said Nicaragua’s switch involved complex international and cross-strait conditions.
“The more successful Taiwan’s democracy is and the stronger the support Taiwan has from the international community, the stronger pressure we will face from the authoritarian regime,” she said, referring to Beijing’s efforts to isolate the island on the international stage.
She stressed that regardless of diplomatic pressure or military threats from Beijing, it would not change “our determination and efforts to uphold democracy and freedom as well as our international participation”.
All Taiwanese embassy officials and engineers stationed in Nicaragua would be recalled, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said.
“To uphold our sovereignty and dignity, we have decided to terminate our diplomatic relations with Nicaragua effective immediately and end all bilateral cooperation and aid projects,” it said.
The ministry said Taipei had long been a loyal and reliable friend of Managua and had offered long-term help for overall development of the Latin American state. It also criticised the Ortega government for switching ties to Beijing.
The ministry stressed that, as a member of international society, Taiwan had the right to promote foreign ties with other countries and would continue to seek to increase its global presence.
China downgrades ties with Lithuania after Taiwan opens de facto embassy
Li Da-jung, professor of international relations and strategic studies at Tamkang University in Taipei, said Beijing had also won over the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Panama in the last few years.
“This definitely will help increase its influence in this part of America which is considered the US’ backyard. But this does not necessarily mean the US has lost in its competition for influence in this region,” Li said, adding that many countries in the region relied on the US economically and financially.

Additional reporting by Reuters


Taiwan’s William Lai arrives in Hawaii for 2-day US stop on way to South Pacific

5 of the best urban trails in Asia, from Singapore and Seoul to Hong Kong’s Dragon’s Back

How does cycling benefit mind and body? Ask these Hong Kong riders who rode back to health

J-20S vs F-22: how drones flip the battle of mighty stealth fighters

Taiwan

China swipes at US, predicts more Taiwan allies to follow Nicaragua

Nicaraguan and Chinese flags on display ahead of talks on Friday in Tianjin between officials from both countries. Photo: Handout

US and China jostle for influence as Honduras weighs ties with Taiwan

Honduran presidential hopeful Xiomara Castro said in her election manifesto that she would seek formal ties with Beijing if she wins. But after a US official visited Honduras, the aide who wrote the manifesto said no final decision had been made. Photo: Reuters

Presidential candidate Nasry Asfura hasn’t spelled out his position on China but is expected to continue the existing policy. Photo: Reuters

Supporters of Xiomara Castro are seen during the campaign’s closing event in Tegucigalpa this week. Hondurans go to the polls on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Solomon Islands politician calls for switch in diplomatic ties back to Taiwan

Riots shook Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, last month. Photo: AP

Let the people decide: China says the US is not the only judge of what democracy looks like

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his Hungarian counterpart in a virtual meeting on Thursday. Neither country was invited to US President Joe Biden’s Smmit for Democracy. Photo: Reuters

News

China

Diplomacy


Foreign Minister Wang Yi attacks US pressure on Central America to switch ties during meeting with Nicaraguan counterpart in Tianjin
Managua says it recognises there is only one China, and the island is an inalienable part of Chinese territory



Foreign Minister Wang Yi attacks US pressure on Central America to switch ties during meeting with Nicaraguan counterpart in Tianjin.


Tsai Ing-wen

US-China relations

United States

Central America

China swipes at US, predicts more Taiwan allies to follow Nicaragua

Foreign Minister Wang Yi attacks US pressure on Central America to switch ties during meeting with Nicaraguan counterpart in Tianjin Managua says it recognises there is only one China, and the island is an inalienable part of Chinese territory

Foreign Minister Wang Yi attacks US pressure on Central America to switch ties during meeting with Nicaraguan counterpart in Tianjin

Managua says it recognises there is only one China, and the island is an inalienable part of Chinese territory