Taiwan leaves Central American parliament after China’s admission

Taiwan expressed disappointment over withdrawing from the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) following the approval of China’s inclusion as an observer state.

The Parliament greenlit a proposal initiated by Nicaragua, advocating members to recognize Beijing as the legitimate representation of the Chinese people.

The Central American Parliament (Parlacen) is a regional political institution established to foster integration and dialogue among Central American nations.

Founded in 1986, it serves as a political forum and assembly for member countries, which include Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry voiced its strong objections to the move in an official statement on its website.

Taiwan’s diplomatic office confirmed its departure from Parlacen to safeguard its sovereignty and uphold its dignity.

Furthermore, Taiwan’s diplomatic unit pointed fingers at Nicaragua and China, accusing them of exploiting Parlacen to undermine Taiwan’s stance and interests in the Central American region.

The Ministry highlighted concerns over China’s intent to impact Central American democracies and its aspirations to broaden its influence.

Emphasizing its sovereign and independent status, the Taiwan government reiterated that it isn’t a part of the People’s Republic of China and remained firm against any potential threats from Beijing.

Parlacen, with a majority vote this Monday in Managua, endorsed the inclusion of the People’s Republic of China as an observer while revoking Taiwan’s observer status.

The decision to accept China was primarily backed by Nicaraguan representatives and received the majority of the Parliament’s support.

Following recent diplomatic shifts, Belize and Guatemala remain the sole Central American countries retaining diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

This comes after countries like Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, and Nicaragua in recent years favored establishing relations with China over Taiwan.

Historically, post the civil war in 1949, Taiwan has been self-governing.

However, China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and asserts its sovereignty over the island, not ruling out forceful reintegration.