Solomon Islands Ditches Taipei For Beijing: Taiwan

Taiwan said on Monday that the Solomon Islands has decided to switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing, prompting Taipei to sever ties with the South Pacific nation.

"The cabinet of the Solomon Islands government decided to switch diplomatic relations to the People's Republic of China," Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu announced at a press conference in Taipei.

"The government hereby declares the termination of diplomatic relations with the Solomon Islands with immediate effect," he added.

Taiwan's Central News Agency reported that the Solomon Island's prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare, approved the decision to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing.

The move leaves Taiwan with just 16 diplomatic allies.

"To be honest, when it comes to economics and politics, Taiwan is completely useless to us," Sogavare had told the Australian National University's Graeme Smith in an interview aired in a podcast earlier this month.

Sogavare had been under intense pressure since his election in April from parliamentary colleagues who see little benefit in staying with the shrinking band of nations that officially recognise Taipei.

He said Beijing was seen as more likely to provide significant infrastructure funding to the impoverished nation, where less than 50 percent of the population have access to electricity.

"There's this perceived view as well that they (China) are doing great in other countries," he told Smith in July.

"My colleagues... are sitting back and sending signals saying 'let's go, let's go' (with China)."

Sogavare also said that switching to Beijing would give the Solomons greater leverage over traditional regional powers.

He cited Fiji, which shrugged off sanctions imposed by Australia and New Zealand following a 2006 military coup by boosting relations with China. (Additional reporting by AFP)

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