Panama breaks ties with Taiwan, formally supports China

In a televised address on Monday, Panama President Juan Carlo Varela said there is “only one China” and Panama will sever ties with Taiwan accordingly, multiple news sources reported.    Panama has broken ties with Taiwan in order to establish formal commercial and diplomatic ties with China, according to multiple news sources.
   In a televised address on Monday, Panama President Juan Carlos Varela said establishing and enhancing links with China, the second most important customer of the Panama Canal, “is the correct path” for Panama.
   Panama said it recognized there was only one China, with Taiwan belonging to the Asian giant, and that it was severing ties with Taipei, reported Reuters. 
   “Our government expresses serious objections and strong condemnation in response to China enticing Panama to cut ties with us, confining our international space and offending the people of Taiwan,” said David Lee, Taiwan’s minister of foreign affairs, in a briefing in Taipei.
   Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement that it expressed “anger and regret over a very unfriendly diplomatic turn by Panama that yielded to economic interests by the Beijing authorities,” according to a report from BBC News. The foreign ministry accused Panama of “ignoring the many years of friendship” between the two countries and stated it would “not compete with the Beijing authorities for money diplomacy,” said BBC News.
   As a result, Taiwan will also immediately end cooperation with Panama and will evacuate embassy and technical personnel in Panama “in order to safeguard our national sovereignty and dignity,” said Lee.
   China’s relationship with Taiwan has long been fraught with suspicion and struggle, as it believes Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen wants to push for formal independence, despite claims she wants to maintain peace with Beijing.
   Panama is the second country to switch its recognition to Beijing since Tsai took office last year, perpetuating a trend of countries breaking ties with Taiwan in favor of China, said Reuters. Originally having formal support from 30 nations in the 1990s, Taiwan is now only formally recognized by 20 nations.