Taiwan's ministry of foreign affairs confirmed on Friday morning that Nicaragua had broken off ties with the island.
The Nicaraguan government, under President Daniel Ortega, had issued a statement on Thursday evening that affirmed, "... in the world there is only one China. The People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents all China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. As of today, Nicaragua breaks its diplomatic relations with Taiwan and ceases to have any official contact or relationship," Associated Press reported.
The development means now only 14 countries, mostly in the Caribbean and Central America, recognise Taiwan. Taiwan's ministry of foreign affairs expressed “sadness and regret” over the move and announced it was recalling its diplomats.
A Nicaraguan delegation met Chinese government representatives in Tianjin on Friday.
This is not the first time Nicaragua has switched recognition. Nicaragua established ties with the Republic of China in 1930 and maintained relations with Taiwan despite the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. In 1985, Ortega broke off ties with Taiwan and switched relations to Beijing. Relations with Taiwan were re-established after Violeta Barrios de Chamorro became president in 1990.
Reuters reported that Ortega may have switched recognition as US sanctions had necessitated the need to consider China as a source of aid and support.
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In recent years, a number of countries have switched recognition from Taiwan to China as Xi Jinping has sought to build Beijing's global influence. “In 2018, El Salvador, Burkina Faso and the Dominican Republic all said they would no longer recognise Taipei, followed by the Solomon Islands and Kiribati in 2019,” CNN reported.
Xiomara Castro, incoming president of the Honduras, had declared she would switch recognition to China when she was campaigning. However, recently her aides have backtracked on the claim.
