U.S. delegation meets with Taiwan’s next president; Nauru switches ties to China
A delegation of former U.S. officials met with Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te, as the Beijing-claimed island lost another diplomatic ally in Nauru.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — A delegation of former U.S. officials met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and her newly elected successor in Taipei on Monday, two days after the self-ruling democracy voted to keep their party in power in a rebuke to Beijing.
The unofficial delegation visited as Taiwan, an island 100 miles off China that Beijing claims as its territory, lost one of its few remaining diplomatic relationships, with the Pacific island nation of Nauru announcing it would switch ties to China.
A Taiwan official described the move as a “blatant challenge” to democracy by Beijing, which says Taiwan should not have its own president and has criticized the dozens of countries congratulating the island on its successful election.
In the presidential election Saturday, Taiwan voters elected Lai Ching-te, Tsai’s vice president, whom China had described as a separatist and a “troublemaker” and warned voters against supporting.
Lai, 64, won with 40% of the vote in a three-way race dominated by economic issues but in which his rivals argued for closer ties with Beijing. Though his liberal Democratic Progressive Party won an unprecedented third consecutive term in power, it lost control of the legislature, which experts say could constrain Lai’s policy options when he takes office on May 20.
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