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It’s fortunate for the Taiwanese that, unlike the South Africans during the apartheid era, they can holiday or invest in countries that don’t recognize their own. Otherwise, their next holiday choice would be confined to somewhere like Burkina Faso or El Salvador—and anyone who had booked a vacation trip to Chad would have to cancel fast after that country’s recognition of Mainland China this week.
Taiwan is now down to just 24 diplomatic allies (see list below). The loss of a country like Chad doesn’t significantly deepen Taiwan’s isolation, although it does give the public a chance to blame the current government for its failure to hold onto the ally, largely through financial aid and investment promises. And the government of President Chen Shui-bian—already suffering from a string of political scandals—has lost seven countries since 2000: Chad, Senegal, Liberia, Macedonia, Dominica, Vanuatu and Grenada. Nauru abandoned Taiwan in 2002, but re-recognized it in 2005. (According to news reports, China promised to donate $130 million to Nauru in 2002 but didn't deliver.)
Taiwanese can still visit Chad, even after the country
switched its diplomatic recogitiion to Beijing.
Chen has often stated that his historical mission was to widen Taiwan's operating space by insisting on its sovereignty. But in the diplomatic arena, that stance has made Beijing even more assertive in winning over allies, and it has deep pockets for the task. The Vatican is expected to recognize the mainland as soon as it completes a deal with Beijing over how Catholic bishops are appointed in China; that switch has less to do with Taiwan than with how the church is allowed to operate in China. The loss of Panama would be the biggest blow because it is the most significant of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies. Panama signed its first ever Free Trade Agreement with Taiwan in 2003 and not only might the quality of coffee in Taipei suffer from a defection, smaller countries could follow suit.
Countries that recognize the Republic of China instead of the People's Republic of China:
Burkina Faso, El Salvador, Belize, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Paraguay, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Panama, the Vatican, Swaziland, Malawi, Sao Tome and Principe, Haiti, Gambia and St. Kitts and Nevis
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