Taiwan ends relationship with Solomon Islands after it votes to cut ties
- Pacific nation decides to switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing, and Taipei responds by immediately ending 36 years of relations
Taiwan has terminated 36 years of formal relations with the Solomon Islands with immediate effect after the Pacific island nation’s cabinet voted on Monday to drop diplomatic ties with Taipei for Beijing.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu also offered his resignation on Monday evening, taking political responsibility over the severance of bilateral ties.
The development, coming just a week after Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele visited Taiwan to discuss continuation of relations, has left Taipei with just 16 allies, in yet another defeat for the self-ruled island in its long-term diplomatic tussle with the mainland.
“The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) finds [the Solomons’ Cabinet’s] decision extremely regrettable and strongly condemns it,” Wu said.
“The government hereby declares the termination of diplomatic relations with the Solomon Islands with immediate effect, the end of all bilateral cooperative projects, as well as the recall of the staff of its embassy, technical mission, and medical mission stationed in the Solomon Islands,” he said, adding the Taiwanese government also demanded that the Solomon Islands immediately recall its government personnel from Taiwan.
Shortly before Wu’s announcement, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported that the Solomon Island’s cabinet voted on Monday to drop ties with Taipei in favour of relations with Beijing. The agency said 27 members of the cabinet voted in favour of the diplomatic switch to Beijing, with none opposed, and six abstentions.