Taiwan withdraws from Central American Parliament after vote in favour of Beijing
- Regional body votes to expel Taipei as a permanent observer after more than two decades, with Beijing to take its place
- Island’s foreign ministry accuses Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, who put forward the proposal, of being ‘China’s pawn’
The parliament, known as Parlacen, voted on the proposal to revoke Taiwan’s observer status – which it had held since 1999 – during a meeting in the Nicaraguan capital Managua on Monday.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega – also a deputy speaker of the parliament – put forward the proposal in June. It called for Taipei to be expelled and replaced with Beijing, citing a 1971 UN resolution that regarded Taiwan as a province of China with no right to participate as “an independent country”.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of its territory and has not renounced the use of force to bring the self-ruled island under its control. Most countries do not see Taiwan as an independent state, but many are opposed to a change of the status quo by force.
With just 13 official allies remaining, the Parlacen vote is the latest setback for Taiwan in a long diplomatic tussle with Beijing.
It prompted Taiwan on Tuesday to announce its withdrawal from Parlacen “with immediate effect” to “uphold our national sovereignty and dignity”.
