Taiwan blasts Nicaragua for giving its assets to Beijing after cutting ties
- Diplomatic switch to Beijing is followed by Taipei’s embassy compound and other assets being handed to mainland Chinese government
- Taiwanese ministry criticises ‘illegal seizure’ after Daniel Ortega’s government confiscates assets donated to Catholic archdiocese
Accusing Nicaragua of defying international laws and protocols, the Taiwanese foreign ministry said President Daniel Ortega’s government had illegally confiscated the embassy compound in Managua, the capital, and other assets belonging to Taiwan after switching ties from Taipei to Beijing on December 9.
“Regarding the Nicaraguan government’s illegal seizure of our embassy properties and unlawful transfer of them to the People’s Republic of China, it is totally unacceptable to our government and for this we express our strong protest,” the ministry said on Monday.
According to a report on Sunday by Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa, the Ortega government had ordered that diplomatic assets donated by self-ruled Taiwan to the Catholic archdiocese of Managua be confiscated and handed over to Beijing.
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Citing a statement by the Nicaraguan government, it said the move was in line with the one-China policy of Managua that Taiwan was an inseparable part of China and therefore the People’s Republic of China government enjoyed ownership of the assets, which included furniture and facilities.
