Nicaragua announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Taiwan

Nicaragua announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Taiwan on Friday (December 10), and at the same time officially established diplomatic relations with China, accepting the "One China Principle." In this regard, analysts pointed out that China and Nepal chose to announce this diplomatic progress during the U.S. Democracy Summit, which means a lot of revenge on Taiwan’s side with the United States and the democratic camp. They also said that Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's re-election in the controversial election has aroused criticism from the Western society and has been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union. Since Taiwan holds high the banner of "democratic values", it has Nicaragua's severance of diplomatic relations will happen sooner or later, and it is not worth regretting.

In the early morning of Friday (December 10) Beijing time, Nicaragua, located in Central America, announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Taiwan and immediately ceased any contact or official relations. Nicaragua also turned to formally establish diplomatic relations with China and openly accepted the CCP’s one-China principle.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately issued a statement, in addition to announcing the termination of diplomatic relations with Nicaragua in order to "maintain national sovereignty and dignity," it also condemned China for digging a diplomatic corner.

Our country feels very sorry... The Chinese government has once again forced its friends to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan and suppress it. In diplomatic space, express strong condemnation."

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen said: “The decision to sever diplomatic relations involves complex international politics and cross-strait situations. However, the more successful Taiwan’s democracy, the stronger the international support, and the greater the pressure from the authoritarian camp.”

She also said that whether it is diplomatic pressure or cultural attacks and military intimidation, it will not change Taiwan's determination and efforts to uphold democracy and freedom and participate in the international democratic community.

The U.S. State Department also issued a statement in support of Taiwan. The statement stated that the relationship between Taiwan and its diplomatic partners in the Western Hemisphere provides significant economic and security benefits to citizens of these countries.

A few hours after the announcement of the severance of diplomatic relations, Nicaragua’s "delegation for the establishment of diplomatic relations" showed up in Tianjin, signed a joint communiqué with China on the resumption of diplomatic relations, and mutually recognized and resumed diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level with immediate effect.

The spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a written statement: "The Nicaraguan government recognizes and promises to abide by the one-China principle...this is a correct choice that conforms to the general trend and conforms to the people's will."

In addition, Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, also expressed appreciation for Nicaragua for “compliance with the general trend and support for China’s reunification.” He also said that he welcomes the few remaining Taiwan’s “diplomatic countries” to recognize the general trend and stand on the right side of history. .

After the Democratic Progressive Party led by President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan came to power in 2016, the diplomatic space has been severely suppressed. So far, it has lost Sao Tome and Principe, Panama, Dominica, Burkina Faso, El Salvador, Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Nicaragua. There are a total of 8 countries with diplomatic relations, and currently only 14 countries with diplomatic relations remain.

China and Nepal join forces to retaliate against Taiwan and the United States

The day when Nicaragua announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Taiwan was the period when President Joe Biden convened the "Democracy Summit." Compared with Taiwan's list of 110 countries participating in the event, both China and Nicaragua were not invited because of their dictatorship.

Analysts believe that although the target of the severance of diplomatic relations is Taiwan, the motive behind it is more like China and Nicaragua joining forces to make the United States ugly, by the way, to avenge Taiwan’s squad against the United States and the democratic camp.

Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of the Global Times of the Communist Party of China, said via Weibo: "This is the price that the Tsai Ing-wen authorities have paid so arrogantly. This incident happened at the time when the so-called'Democracy Summit' was held in the United States, and it was also given to Washington. A resounding slap...Nicaragua will not be the last country to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Taiwan has 14 small diplomatic countries left. Sooner or later it will shave its head."

Xiang Jun, the co-author of the book "Taiwan and Latin America Relations" and based in Taipei, also said in an interview with Voice of America that the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria is full of political calculations, retaliating against Taiwan, and at the same time smashing the United States.

Xiang Jun told VOA: "This timing is actuarially calculated. This can be regarded as a great gift from the Chinese mainland to the Biden Democracy Summit. It (the United States) has to say something. As far as the mainland is concerned, this timing can be chosen. very good."

Zhang Guangqiu, an associate professor in the Department of Applied English at Zhili University of Science and Technology in Taipei, said that President Ortega of Nigeria has always maintained friendly relations with China, but he has full grievances against the United States. The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria, specially selected on the occasion of Biden's big fanfare to hold the democracy summit, it was the two countries that joined forces to make the United States unsightly.

aiwan has repeatedly promoted the "democratic value alliance", and now even the United States does not recognize Nicaragua's election results. Since Taiwan has chosen to stand with the United States and democracy, it is not a pity to sever diplomatic relations with the dictatorship Nicaragua.

Xiang Jun and Zhang Guangqiu agreed that Taiwan’s recent relations with European countries have frequently reported good news. In particular, Lithuania disregarded China’s opposition and allowed the establishment of representative offices in the name of Taiwan. China must also counterattack Taiwan.

Xiang Jun said that Taiwan has been too high-profile about Lithuania's progress. Although China has downgraded its diplomatic relations with Lithuania, its strength is limited. Taiwan and Lithuania are almost unscathed, making China's face actually a bit unbearable. He said that in the future, if the United States also agrees to further change the name of Taiwan’s representative office in Washington to Taiwan, the situation will become more tense and will force Beijing to take greater countermeasures and make Taiwan feel painful.

Zhang Guangqiu said: "China has not severed diplomatic relations with Lithuania. I was guessing at the time that he should have made a big move. Whether Lithuania or Slovakia, they only have economic relations with us, but they still dare not establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Mainland China has suffered a great loss, and it will definitely want to say to pull one from the diplomatic country (Taiwan's)."

Ortega severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan for the second time

Nicaragua and the Taiwanese government established diplomatic relations for the first time in 1930. In the 1980s, the civil war broke out in Nicaragua. After Ortega, who was born in the left-wing Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, took power. ), so it was announced in 1985 that it would switch to establishing diplomatic relations with China.

Ortega was later defeated in the 1990 elections. After the pro-American Mrs. Violeta Chamorro came to power, diplomatic relations with Taiwan were quickly restored. After Ortega won the 2006 election, although he vigorously reversed Nigeria's pro-American policy, he chose to sway between the two sides of the strait in pursuit of profit, and the rumors of severing diplomatic relations with Taiwan have never stopped during his tenure.

In order to consolidate his power, Ortega, who returned to power, first forcibly amended the constitution in 2014 to abolish the presidential re-election restrictions. In 2016, he partnered with his wife Rosario Murillo to run for the president and vice presidential elections. In November this year, the president of Nigeria was re-elected. The Ortega government arrested more than 30 challengers on charges of endangering national security and sovereignty. In the end, he won 75% of the votes and was elected president four times.

Regarding the election results in Nicaragua, US President Biden issued a statement criticizing it as "a scam election." Biden criticized that the Ortega had been unpopular for a long time, and that in the absence of democratic authorization, the Ortega and Murillo families now rule Nicaragua as dictators. Because of Ortega's improper means to suppress the opposition, the United States and the European Union also imposed sanctions on the Ortega family and high-level Nigerian officials before the election.

Dictator Ortega broke off diplomatic relations

The Taiwan media Central News Agency quoted party and government insiders as saying that Taiwan, as a member of the democratic camp, has called on Nepal to follow democratic mechanisms to handle disputes with different political parties or people of opinion, so as to conform to the interests of the people of the country.

The person familiar with the matter pointed out that more than 40 countries and international organizations, including the United States, Britain, the European Union, and the Organization of American States (OAS), all refused to recognize the election results of Nigeria. As international sanctions have increased the economic pressure on Nigeria, the Ortega government has adopted strong protests and counterattacks. In addition to proactively announcing its withdrawal from the Organization of American States, it has also moved closer to authoritarian groups including China to seek financial assistance. Ortega has appointed high-level Nigerian leaders to attend video conferences related to China on many occasions, and contacted the Chinese side to express his willingness to accept the one-China principle. He also sent the Minister of Finance to Russia and signed an agreement to carry out nuclear energy. Cooperation.

US political risk management consultant Ross Feingold believes that Nicaragua is far away from Taiwan, and the two sides do not have much economic and trade exchanges or military cooperation. The exchanges between the two countries are mainly Taiwan’s unilateral assistance, and Nicaragua can participate in international conferences. He speaks for Taiwan, but his influence is limited. Therefore, Taiwan's absence of Nicaragua, a diplomatic country with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, does not have much real impact, so don't feel it is a pity.

Fang Enge said: "What can Taiwan get from Nicaragua? Whether it is the President or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan has always emphasized that Taiwan stands on the front line of democracy and stands with countries with similar democratic ideals. Nicaragua is not a democratic country either. It is an increasingly authoritarian political system. The (Taiwan) government still maintains diplomatic relations, but you also said that Taiwan is an important country to defend democracy, which seems to be a little contradictory."