Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) yesterday dismissed a remark by a senior Chinese diplomat that Taiwan’s sole diplomatic ally in Africa, Eswatini, would soon switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a public event at the ministry in Taipei, Wu said speculations about Eswatini switching allegiance to Beijing are nothing but a “phony issue.”
“I just had lunch with Eswatini Foreign Minister Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze to talk about how to deepen our bilateral relations,” Wu said.
Photo: CNA
The ministry has also said several times that ties between Taiwan and Eswatini are strong, and that the latter has specifically told Taipei that it would not attend the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation next month in Beijing.
Gamedze on Tuesday arrived in Taiwan for a three-day visit, the same day that Taipei cut diplomatic ties with El Salvador after learning of its plan to switch recognition to Beijing, the ministry said.
Shortly after Taipei’s move, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) and acting Salvadoran Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Castaneda signed a communique in Beijing establishing formal diplomatic ties.
Taiwan on Tuesday vowed to fight China’s “increasingly out-of-control” behavior and pledged not to engage in a diplomatic bidding war with Beijing.
El Salvador is the fifth nation to switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office in May 2016, following Sao Tome and Principe, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Burkina Faso.
Ahead of next month’s summit between Chinese and African leaders in Beijing, China has been increasing pressure on Eswatini, Taiwan’s last ally on the continent, to switch to China, diplomatic sources have said.
Speaking to reporters in Beijing about the summit, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong (陳曉東) said that Eswatini did not have relations with China “for reasons that everyone knows.”
“We look forward to and hope that all African nations, with none left behind, can take part in positive China-Africa cooperation, and become a member of the largest family get-together,” Chen said.
“I believe that this is not just the pursuit of China, it is also a widespread shared expectation of African nations. I believe that this target can in the not too distant future be realized,” he added, without elaborating.
Additional reporting by Reuters
LOOKING NORTH: The base would enhance the military’s awareness of activities in the Bashi Channel, which China Coast Guard ships have been frequenting, an expert said The Philippine Navy on Thursday last week inaugurated a forward operating base in the country’s northern most province of Batanes, which at 185km from Taiwan would be strategically important in a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Northern Luzon Command Commander Lieutenant General Fernyl Buca as saying that the base in Mahatao would bolster the country’s northern defenses and response capabilities. The base is also a response to the “irregular presence this month of armed” of China Coast Guard vessels frequenting the Bashi Channel in the Luzon Strait just south of Taiwan, the paper reported, citing a
A total lunar eclipse, an astronomical event often referred to as a “blood moon,” would be visible to sky watchers in Taiwan starting just before midnight on Sunday night, the Taipei Astronomical Museum said. The phenomenon is also called “blood moon” due to the reddish-orange hue it takes on as the Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, completely blocking direct sunlight from reaching the lunar surface. The only light is refracted by the Earth’s atmosphere, and its red wavelengths are bent toward the moon, illuminating it in a dramatic crimson light. Describing the event as the most important astronomical phenomenon
The presence of Taiwanese politicians at China’s military parade tomorrow would send the wrong message to Beijing and the international community about Taiwan’s sovereignty and democracy, a national security official said yesterday. China is to hold the parade tomorrow to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. By bringing together leaders of “anti-West” governments such as Russia, North Korea, Iran and Belarus, the parade aims to project a symbolic image of an alliance that is cohesive and unbending against Western countries, the national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu
ENHANCING DETERRENCE: Stationing the missiles in Kyushu would allow Japan to cover waters near Taiwan and China’s coastal areas without any logistical difficulties Japan is to deploy extended-range anti-ship missiles at a Ground Self-Defense Force base in Kumamoto to bolster its defenses, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Saturday. The upgraded Type 12 surface-to-ship missile, with a range of more than 1,000km, would be capable of striking targets in the Taiwan Strait and along China’s coast. Originally limited to a few hundred kilometers, the Type 12 was recently modernized ahead of schedule. Deployment, initially slated for next year, has been accelerated after the upgrade was completed sooner than expected, the newspaper said. Stationing the missiles in Kyushu would allow Japan to cover waters near Taiwan and
RSS