Taiwan yesterday terminated its 22-year-old diplomatic ties with Nauru after the tiny Pacific island state declined to overturn its president's recent decision to establish formal relations with China.
"The government of Nauru will bear all responsibilities and consequences of this reckless move," a foreign ministry press release said, referring Nauru's signing of a joint communique with China that changes its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.
The announcement came two days after Nauru President Rene Harris signed a joint communique with Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong (
PHOTO: LIAO RAY-SHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
The failure of Nauru's Cabinet as well its acting president, Remy Namaduk, to express in public their denial of the joint agreement sealed by Harris by 10am yesterday, the deadline set by Taiwan, was what prompted Taipei to make the announcement, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Katharine Chang (張小月).
When asked whether Nauru's diplomatic switch would trigger Taiwan's remaining 27 diplomatic allies to follow suit, Chang said measures have been put in place to prevent the "domino effect" from happening.
"We have already sent notification to our embassies requesting them to stay vigilant over any possible attacks, provocation or sabotage from China," Chang said.
Chang also said Taiwan's ties with its remaining 27 diplomatic allies remain firm.
The spokeswoman also lashed out at China's decision to sign the joint communique on Sunday, the day when President Chen Shui-bian (
Timed move
Judging from the timing of the event, China's ill intent is known to all, Chang said.
Premier Yu Shyi-kun also accused Beijing of choosing the day of Chen's inauguration as the ruling party's chairman to sign the joint communique.
Meanwhile, Chang attacked Harris for his defection from Taiwan.
"The current Nauruan pres-ident, Rene Harris, was heavily courted and apparently prefers the blandishments proffered by the PRC," Chang said.
While the China-Nauru deal was sealed on the basis of Beijing's promise to offer around US$137 million in aid and debt relief, Harris had recently requested Taiwan to offer US$10 million to his debt-stricken country, an insider at the ministry revealed.
Yu also criticized Nauru for having requested such a large amount of aid from China, given that the population of the country is even smaller than that of a borough in Panchiao City, Taipei County.
Yu said that Taiwan should deny any similar request from Nauru.
`Joyous occasion'
Deputy Secretary-General to the President Joseph Wu (
Taiwan refused to accept the unreasonable request from a country on the verge of bankruptcy, Wu said.
"While Taiwan is shaking off `money diplomacy,' China is beginning," Wu said.
Taiwan yesterday also requested that Nauru return US$12.1 million in loans, although officials admitted it's unlikely that Nauru will be able to make the payment.
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