Taiwan’s foreign minister has accused China of leveraging financial incentives and other means to sway developing countries to support its stance regarding the self-governing island. Lin Chia-lung asserted in a recent press conference that these efforts to persuade nations to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and align with Beijing are becoming less effective.
China views Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be reunified with the mainland, potentially through force. Despite the serious nature of these allegations, Lin did not provide concrete evidence to substantiate his claims, and there has been no immediate response from Chinese authorities.
Claims about China’s diplomatic tactics
Lin emphasized that a key element in China’s argument for its claims over Taiwan lies in a 1971 United Nations resolution. This resolution granted China’s seat on the Security Council to Beijing, effectively replacing representatives of Chiang Kai-shek, who had retained this position after fleeing to Taiwan in 1949 following the Communist takeover. Although the resolution does not address Taiwan’s self-governing status explicitly, China and its allies have interpreted it as support for their assertion that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China.
Furthermore, Lin accused China of employing cheap construction projects—ranging from stadiums to railway systems—to win over developing nations. He stated,
“We must not let China have what it wants in terms of using legal warfare to make the Taiwan issue its domestic issue.”
Lin urged Taiwan to strengthen its ties with the United States and the European Union to counter Beijing’s influence.
Impact of China’s economic pressure
China’s economic strategies have significantly reduced the number of Taiwan’s formal diplomatic allies to merely 12, primarily small nations in the South Pacific and Caribbean. In recent years, Taiwan has also lost allies among Central American nations. In a strategic move, the U.S. maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan while serving as its primary economic supporter and a key supplier of military aid to help defend against potential Chinese aggression.
Lin expressed concerns that China’s diplomatic pressure, often exerted through gifts and financial aid to poorer nations, has effectively barred Taiwan from participating in the United Nations and other international bodies. China has steadfastly refused to engage with Taiwan’s pro-independence government, pursuing a concerted effort to diplomatically isolate the island.
Recent developments exemplify this trend; in February, the Cook Islands signed a largely undisclosed agreement with China to enhance cooperation on various matters, including seabed mineral mining, leading to tensions with its traditional ally, New Zealand. Similar shifts occurred when the Solomon Islands transitioned their allegiance from Taiwan to China, entering into a secret security agreement with Beijing despite domestic opposition. Most recently, Somalia announced it would no longer accept visitors or transit passengers holding Taiwanese passports, while South Africa has requested that Taiwan relocate its unofficial representative office from Pretoria to Cape Town.