December 20, 2023
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega issued a joint statement on December 20 to mark the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries. Among other things, the statement asserts that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory and that Nicaragua resolutely opposes “Taiwanese independence” in any form whatsoever. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) vigorously protests and strongly condemns the authoritarian CCP government for continuing to curry favor with other countries to make false and absurd statements disparaging Taiwan’s sovereignty.
MOFA solemnly reiterates that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is an independent and sovereign nation, that neither the R.O.C. (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other, and that the PRC has never governed Taiwan for a single day. These are objective facts and represent the status quo. No country can or has the right to deny the sovereignty of the Republic of China (Taiwan) through a joint statement.
For many years, Taiwan engaged in numerous projects that benefited the people of Nicaragua. However, seeking personal gain, President Ortega terminated diplomatic ties with Taiwan and turned to China. On several occasions, President Ortega has gone along with malicious statements by the authoritarian CCP government distorting Taiwan’s sovereignty, showing himself to be a willing accomplice to China’s destruction of democracy and peace. Such conduct is disgraceful.
MOFA calls on the Nicaraguan government to no longer acquiesce to China’s inversion of right and wrong and recognize China’s expansionist ambitions. Instead of blindly accommodating the PRC government, it would be better for Nicaragua to preclude the reproach of the international community by paying closer attention to the damage being done to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights in its own nation.