New Southbound Policy Portal

Taiwan has terminated diplomatic relations with the Solomon Islands to uphold national dignity and sovereignty following the Indo-Pacific country’s decision to establish official ties with China, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu Sept. 16.
 
The staff of the country's embassy and technical missions is to be recalled, and all cooperation programs ended with immediate effect, Wu said. The government also demands the Solomon Islands immediately recall its personnel, he added
 
Wu said Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced a reassessment of external relations after taking office in April.
 
Sogavare stated later that his government would refer to four reports from agencies and public opinion by civil organizations before coming to a final decision, a position reiterated during a bilateral meeting with Wu last month in Tuvalu.
 
According to Wu, Sogavare and his Cabinet reached a decision based solely on a highly biased, so-called Bipartisan Task Force report full of fabrications and blatant misinformation.
 
Sogavare has broken his own public promise and disregarded the fruits of 36 years of cooperation between the two countries, Wu said. Taiwan believes that the majority of the people of the Solomon Islands will find the decision unacceptable as it completely lacks credibility, he added.
 
Wu said Beijing’s move is to diminish Taiwan’s international presence, hurt the people of Taiwan and gradually suppress and eliminate Taiwan’s sovereignty. It is also absolutely evident that China is using this case to attempt to influence Taiwan’s upcoming presidential and legislative elections, he added.
 
Taiwan has shown the world that the country has never capitulated under any setback in the face of the expansionism of authoritarian regimes, Wu said, adding that the country will stand firm on the front lines of democracy and remain staunchly committed to serving as a force of good in the world.
 
Wu also urged the international community to recognize China’s relentless campaign to expand its authoritarianism, set debt traps for other countries and fulfill strategic goals to gain influence in the region through a wide array of aggressive actions.
 
There is no alternative but for like-minded countries to unite and maintain a free, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific, as well as jointly defend the shared values of democracy and human rights, Wu added

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