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Tsai Ing-wen
ChinaDiplomacy

Who needs Nicaragua? Taiwan and the tug of war for diplomatic allies

  • The number of countries with official ties with the island has fallen to 14, with the loss of Managua
  • Taipei is now more focused on gaining international recognition through substantive ties and taking part in global bodies

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Laureano Ortega Murillo, son of and advisor to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega (left) and Chinese vice foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu display their jointly signed communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries in Tianjin on Friday. Photo: Xinhua via AP
Lawrence Chung

The decision by another Taiwanese ally to switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing has barely caused a ripple of concern on the island, with the public preferring greater international participation rather than a diplomatic tug of war with mainland China.

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But Beijing will remain in the way to hamper the island’s efforts to increase its global presence, according to observers.

Nicaragua, one of Taiwan’s nine remaining allies in Latin America and the Caribbean, declared on Friday that it was switching diplomatic recognition to Beijing. It is the eighth country to cut ties with Taipei since Tsai Ing-wen of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party was elected president in 2016 and refused to accept the one-China principle.
Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory that must be brought back to the mainland fold, and to quash any push for independence, it has steadily won over a number of Taipei’s allies over the years, leaving the island with just 14.

But when asked to comment on Nicaragua’s decision on Friday, Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je was unruffled, reflecting the general public mood.

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“Is there anything unusual? Do we really need Nicaragua to assert our existence?” he said.

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