The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that it appreciates and welcomes the Nauruan government's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan. He added that China is ready to open a new chapter in bilateral relations with Nauru on the basis of the one-China principle.
The decision was announced two days after Taiwan's presidential election, in which the People's Democratic Party was elected to an unprecedented third term. The Democratic Progressive Party and its candidate, Lai Cheng Te, have launched an intense campaign to resist Chinese influence on the island, which the Chinese government claims belongs to it. The Chinese Communist Party never ruled the island, but it kept unity with its neighbor inevitable and did not rule out the use of force if necessary.
Nauru's shift to Beijing is likely to have an impact on diplomatic relations in the Pacific region. Former Nauruan President Baron Waka is set to become Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum this year. Adiang was a minister in Waqa's government in 2013.
“This has implications that go beyond the bilateral relationship between Nauru and China and extend to the Pacific Islands Forum,” said Anna Bowles, a Pacific security expert at Massey University in New Zealand. He said on X.
download
The possibility of Nauru switching its recognition from Taiwan to China has been on the cards for some time; The speed with which Australia implemented the Falipili Agreement with Tuvalu last year reflects concerns that Tuvalu will be under pressure to shift recognition to China.
In November, Australia and Tuvalu signed the Vallepelle Climate and Migration Agreement that would allow 280 Tuvaluans to migrate to Australia each year to mitigate the risks of rising sea levels in the Pacific nation, as well as pledging support during natural disasters and public health. Emergency cases.
In return, Tuvalu granted Australia an effective veto over Tuvalu's entry into security agreements with other countries in a deal widely seen as targeting China.
Get a direct note from our foreign correspondents on what's making headlines around the world. Subscribe to the weekly What in the World newsletter here.
