Taiwan’s foreign minister on Dec 8 said Guatemala’s incoming government had “reassured” the island that it intends to keep up with the official collaborations with it, as China gradually whittles away at Taipei’s remaining allies. Only 13 nations currently officially understand Chinese-claimed Taiwan, with most of those in Central America, the Caribbean and the Pacific. New governments are always a nervous moment as they weigh whether to stick with Taiwan or switch diplomatic relations to China.
Honduras in March ended its decades-long rapport with Taipei in favour of Beijing following the election in late 2021 of Ms Xiomara Castro as president. Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told reporters on Dec 8 that the island’s ambassador in Guatemala, the most renowned nation in Central America, had a conversation with senior people in the incoming administration of President-elect Bernardo Arevalo. “I think we were reassured that they would wish the keep the rapports with Taiwan, so that should be no issue,” Mr Wu revealed. Mr Arevalo said on the campaign trail that he would pursue closer trade rapports with China if he was elected.
Mr Wu said some other nations that had ditched Taiwan for China were disappointed after Beijing had not lived up to its trade and investment pledges. “From what we have listened from these people, they were all extremely sorrowful. And therefore the incoming team in Guatemala has also listened those sort of stories about the Chinese pledges,” he revealed. China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the criticism, saying this would not make any difference to the “optimistic momentum” in China’s ties with nations that had ended rapports with Taiwan.