Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-06-17
Foreign Minister David Lee says the government will step up to the challenge of efforts by Beijing to
Officials hold up the Taiwanese flag lowered from the former Taiwanese embassy in Panama. (CNA)
isolate Taiwan.
Lee was speaking early Saturday at Taoyuan International Airport, where he traveled to meet with Taiwanese diplomats returning from Panama. Panama announced Tuesday that it was breaking off diplomatic relations with Taiwan and recognizing Beijing instead. It was the second Taiwanese ally to switch sides in six months.
Taiwan’s ambassador to Panama, Miguel Tsao, was among those returning to Taiwan Saturday morning. Tsao had only arrived at his post a month before.
Panama’s decision to recognize Beijing leaves Taiwan with 20 diplomatic allies, twelve of which are concentrated in Latin America and the Caribbean. After news of the decision broke Tuesday, the foreign minister said that Taiwan will continue to work towards expanding its international space while eschewing “checkbook diplomacy”. [SOURCE]
