MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Nicaragua severs ties with Taiwan, “rogue Chinese territory”

Nicaragua's Foreign Ministry announced his government's decision.

The Nicaraguan Government of President Daniel Ortega Thursday announced it was cutting all diplomatic ties with Taiwan, citing “that in the world there is only one single China” whose legitimate government is that of the People's Republic.

Nicaragua made that decision after resuming bilateral relations following a meeting Friday between envoy Laureano Ortega Murillo (son of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo) and China's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu.

China and Nicaragua have also announced the signing of a joint pact for the reestablishment of diplomatic relations “at the level of ambassadors.”

“The Government of the Republic of Nicaragua declares that in the world there is only one China. The People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government,” said the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada in a statement. He added that Taiwan was “an inalienable part of Chinese territory” and, although it is an important donor to the country in economic terms and is a key ally in the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), it has decided to align itself with China.

Beijing considers Taiwan as part of its territory despite the fact that it has been 'de facto' independent since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1959.

“It's with great regret we end diplomatic ties with Nicaragua. Long-standing friendship & successful cooperation benefiting the people of both countries were disregarded by the Ortega government. Taiwan remains unbowed & will continue as a force for good in the world,” said Taiwan's Foreign Ministry on Twitter.

Nicaragua has thus joined Panama and El Salvador in signing with Beijing against Taipei's stance regarding sovereignty over the island.

Following Nicaragua's decision, the number of countries recognizing Taiwan as a sovereign state has been cut down to 14, including Guatemala, Honduras or Paraguay.

Taiwan was until now the largest bilateral donor to Nicaragua, a country where it financed 27 projects in the areas of food production, fruit crops and high-quality pig farming, among others, worth between US $ 30 and 50 million, according to data from the Nicaraguan government.