Taiwan Loses Second Ally This Week to China
- Kiribati becomes week’s 2nd island nation to defect to Beijing
- Trump set to discuss issue in talks with Australia’s leader
Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's president.
Photographer: Ashley Pon/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
For Taiwan, the Pacific Islands had been relatively stable as China siphoned off diplomatic partners elsewhere after independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen took power in 2016. That all changed this week.
On Monday, the Solomon Islands -- one of the biggest economies in the region -- recognized China and ended formal relations with Taiwan that began in 1983. Kiribati followed suit in news that broke on Friday. Before the defections, Taiwan hadn’t lost a friend in the region since 2004.