R.O.C. Loses Fifth Diplomatic Ally of Tsai

Taiwan has lost another diplomatic ally. El Salvador has announced to cut off ties with the Republic of China, becoming the fifth country to do so since President Tsai Ing-wen took office. The bad news also coincided with president Tsai's state visit. Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Wu said diplomatic personnel will be recalled shortly and bilateral agreements will be terminated.


President Tsai Ing-wen concluded her overseas trip to visit diplomatic allies in Central and South America on Aug. 20. One day later, it was reported that diplomatic relations between El Salvador and the Republic of China had been severed, leaving the R.O.C. with just 17 diplomatic allies. Tsai has faced pressure from China during all her overseas trips as president. Five countries have dropped the R.O.C. since Tsai took office two years ago, Sao Tome and Principe, Panama, Dominica, Burkina Faso, and now El Salvador.

China's rude and unreasonable behavior against our sovereignty is already challenging Taiwan society's bottom line. We will no longer stand for this.

It appears China ignored Tsai's angry words, because she was greeted with the loss of another ally upon her return to Taiwan. Scholars say China saw an opportune time to step up the pressure after Tsai's stopover in the U.S. boosted the Taiwan-U.S. relationship.

Trump has enacted some policies since taking office, and there have also been some actual actions, including the slight boost to the relationship during President Tsai Ing-wen's stopover in the U.S. This is why Beijing selected this moment to take action.

Scholars add China is taking a two-pronged approach. It is appealing to the Taiwanese people through preferential policies while also suppressing Taiwan diplomatically.
I believe it will continue with the political suppression. It may be targeting the remaining the diplomatic allies after the loss of El Salvador. I believe Beijing will continue along these lines, even perhaps before the election.

The government not only has to worry about a domino effect, but also be on guard against increased pressure from China in order to reduce the impact.