Nicaragua dealt a blow to Taiwan and the US when it switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, but it also created an opportunity for Taiwan to recalibrate its foreign policy.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s government on Thursday declared it was severing relations with Taipei and said that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. Ortega in 1985 also cut ties with Taiwan, although his successor, Violeta Barrios Torres de Chamorro, resumed recognition in 1990.
The announcement caught Taipei somewhat off-guard, as the government over the past few weeks had seemed more worried about maintaining ties with Honduras. For the US, it appeared as a direct challenge, as it coincided with US President Joe Biden’s Summit for Democracy, attended by Taiwan and other countries virtually.
In criticizing Managua’s switch, the US Department of State pointed to Ortega’s victory in last month’s “sham election.”
“Without the mandate that comes with a free and fair election, Ortega’s actions cannot reflect the will of the Nicaraguan people, who continue to struggle for democracy and the ability to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedom,” department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
Following the election, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions against the Nicaraguan Public Ministry and nine government officials.
Although China’s influence in Central America cannot be overlooked, Nicaragua’s shift this time epitomized Washington’s disagreements with its neighbors in the region.
The change also came as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei hosted a 43-person delegation from Slovakia that ended their five-day visit on Friday. On the eve of their departure, the delegation expressed keen interest in deepening bilateral cooperation in cutting-edge industries, such as semiconductors, electric vehicles and space technology.
A delegation of lawmakers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania left Taiwan last week after visiting the economic and science ministries and attending the Open Parliament Forum in Taipei. Their visit is part of a new wave of support from central and eastern Europe, after Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil led an 89-person delegation to Taiwan in August last year.
The visits illustrate a sharp contrast: While Taiwan is being snubbed by developing countries for political reasons, it is attracting more suitors from Europe due to its technological prowess and success in curbing COVID-19.
“It is not bad to save a lot of money,” Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday, when asked about the breakup with Nicaragua. His remarks betray the mentality of most Taiwanese who are indifferent to losing one more diplomatic ally.
The Financial Times on Friday reported that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) had promised to lend Nicaragua US$100 million prior to its election, but Taiwanese banks refused for fear of contravening US sanctions against the Central American country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the report, saying that the government in February 2019 agreed to provide a US$100 million commercial loan to Nicaragua to help with reconstruction following anti-government demonstrations in 2018.
A relationship can be sustainable only if it is mutually beneficial. Taiwan might be a political dwarf on the global stage, but it is a giant in technology that no country can overlook. Instead of struggling to maintain ties with unreliable partners, the government should allocate more funds to promoting “technological diplomacy.” It is more worthwhile to bolster ties with countries that are friendly and can be complementary with Taiwan in national developments.
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