Taiwan suffers another diplomatic blow as Fiji pulls the plug on representative office’s name change

Facing pressure from Beijing, Pacific island nation backtracks after agreeing in March to let Taipei mission reinstate title and diplomatic privileges
Taiwanese foreign ministry condemns mainland China for ‘belittling our sovereignty’ and voices regret over Suva’s failure to ‘uphold its position’

Taiwan

Lawrence Chungin Taipei

Published: 7:30pm, 22 Jun 2023

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Just as Taiwan was celebrating a small diplomatic gain by reinstating the official title for its representative office in Fiji, the tiny Pacific island nation pulled the plug on the name change under pressure from Beijing.

The Taiwanese office in Suva was known as the Trade Mission of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Republic of Fiji and enjoyed diplomatic privileges despite the lack of an official relationship.

Then in 2018, mainland-friendly prime minister Frank Bainimarama’s government unilaterally changed the title to Taipei Trade Office in Fiji and stripped the office of its diplomatic privileges.

In March, the new Fiji coalition government, which is friendly to Taipei, allowed Taiwan to reinstate the mission’s former name and its diplomatic privileges – a move that drew sharp protests from Beijing, which established official ties with the Pacific island nation in 1975.

But on Thursday, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said Fiji’s three-party coalition government had decided to put on hold the restoration of the mission’s official title and diplomatic privileges due to intense pressure from Beijing.

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“After the Fiji government decided to restore the official title of our mission, the Chinese embassy there not only protested against the move but also threatened to take retaliatory actions,” the Taiwanese ministry said in a statement.

In a visit to Fiji in April, the mainland’s foreign vice-minister Ma Zhaoxu put even more pressure on Suva, prompting the coalition government to revoke the office’s permission to reinstate its name following a series of cabinet discussions, the Taiwanese ministry said.

The Taiwanese ministry expressed regret over Fiji’s failure to “uphold its position” and condemned Beijing for “repeatedly suppressing Taiwan in the international arena and belittling our sovereignty”.

The Taiwanese ministry said since Taipei opened its representative office in Suva in 1971, the two sides enjoyed close cooperation and exchanges in the areas of agriculture, fishery, medical care, education and talent cultivation, which had greatly benefited the people of Fiji.

It said it would continue to share Taiwan’s success stories in economic development with Pacific island nations and devote itself to maintaining peace and stability in the region.

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In a news conference in Suva on Wednesday, Beijing’s ambassador to Fiji Zhou Jian called the coalition government’s decision a “correct” move that would help consolidate bilateral ties and enhance economic cooperation.

“The Chinese side is willing to strengthen cooperation with various sectors in Fiji in a pragmatic manner based on the one-China principle, elevate the ties of our two sides and promote the well-being of the public in Fiji,” he said.

Zhou said since January, Beijing had donated FJ$7 million (US$3.15 million) worth of solar energy products to Fiji, signed a FJ$17 million economic and technology cooperation agreement with the country and offered US$250,000 worth of medical aid.

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Fiji, a former British colony, was the first Pacific island nation to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing, five years after it declared independence from Britain in 1970. Although it does not maintain official relations with Taiwan, it continued to allow Taipei to use its official title for its representative office in Suva until 2018.

Beijing, which sees Taiwan as its territory that must be brought back under its control, by force if necessary, has been working to secure its influence in Fiji and other Pacific island nations as the US increases its presence in the region.

US-China ties are at their lowest in decades over disputes on multiple fronts. The US, like Fiji and most other countries, does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state but is opposed to a change of status quo by force.