Taiwan president-elect hails US ties but Nauru cuts ties

Taipei, Taiwan — Taiwan’s president-elect Lai Ching-te hailed the island’s “solid partnership” with Washington as he welcomed a US delegation Monday -- which China said it “firmly opposed”.

While Taiwan is not diplomatically recognized by the United States, Washington is a partner and its top weapons provider.

The island lost one of its few formal diplomatic allies on the same day, as Pacific nation Nauru unexpectedly announced it was severing ties and switching allegiance to Beijing.

The switch, just days after Taiwan’s presidential election, means only 12 nations now formally recognize Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of China.

Nauru’s announcement overshadowed the visit by the unofficial delegation sent by US President Joe Biden’s administration to congratulate Lai.

The Nauru government said it would no longer recognize Taiwan “as a separate country” but “rather as an inalienable part of China’s territory” -- echoing Beijing’s position on the island.

Taiwan cut ties in return to “safeguard our national dignity”, and accused Beijing of buying Nauru off.

“China actively reached out to Nauru politicians and used economic aids to induce the country to switch diplomatic recognition,” said deputy foreign minister Tien Chung-kwang.

Taiwan’s Presidential Office called it a “wrong decision”, and accused China of wielding “diplomatic repression (as) a retaliation against democratic values”.

But China’s foreign ministry said Beijing’s resumption of ties with Nauru “reflects the sentiments of the people”.

At Taipei’s Diplomatic Headquarters -- a building that houses most of Taiwan’s foreign embassies -- Nauru’s flag was removed.

US support

Losing Nauru comes as an early blow to Lai just two days after voters defied Beijing’s repeated calls not to elect him.

In the run-up to the poll, Chinese officials slammed Lai as a dangerous separatist who would take Taiwan down the “evil path” of independence.

Beijing, which claims the self-ruled island as its territory and has never renounced force to bring it under its control, insisted that the vote did not change the fact the island was part of China.