“There is only one China” said Denis Moncado, the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister as he announced on Thursday 9th December 2021 that Nicaragua recognizes China as having a claim over Taiwan. As such, and following last Fridays meeting with their Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ma Zhaoxu, Nicaragua and China have resumed bilateral relations
Moncado announced that part of the resumption of bilateral relations includes the signing of a joint pact between China and Nicaragua “that will reestablish diplomatic relations at the level of ambassadors”.
Nicaragua then promptly announced it was “cutting all diplomatic ties with Taiwan, joining Panama and El Salvador in siding with China in relation to sovereignty of the island. “The government of the Republic of Nicaragua today breaks diplomatic relations with Taiwan and ceases to have any contact or official relationship” said the official statement from Nicaragua.
Prior to the announcement, Taiwan was the biggest bilateral donor to Nicaragua where it was involved in food production, fruit crops and pig farming to name but a few with projects worth tens of millions.
With Moncado announcing that Nicaragua recognizes China, there are now only 14 countries in the world that have kept their diplomatic relationships with Taiwan. In fact, since President Tsai-Ing Wen (Democratic Progressive Party) took over in 2016, that list has dropped from 21 to 14.
They are; Belize, Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), Guatemala, Haiti, the Holy See (the central administration of the Roman Catholic Church), Honduras, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu.
Honduras newly elected government (that had said it would break relations with Taiwan in favor of China) has indicated that it will continue to maintain ties with Taiwan for the present time.
Beijing views Taiwan as a nonaligned province that will, one day, be reunified with mainland China. On the other hand, Taipei believes it is a democratically-governed independent country, even though no official independence has ever been declared.
