One of Taiwan’s last diplomatic allies has cut ties with the island in favour of Beijing, just days after a new president, William Lai was voted in Taipei.
Reports say Nauru, a tiny Micronesian island, was just one of 12 countries that kept diplomatic ties with Taipei. But in recent years, Beijing, which insists Taiwan is part of China, has been poaching its diplomatic allies.
Taiwan suggests the latest loss is related to the weekend’s election results, which angered China. The election saw voters pick pro-sovereignty candidate William Lai as their next president, a man Beijing has labelled a “troublemaker” over remarks he made in the past supporting Taiwanese independence, which it sees as a red line.