Business Insider
Date: Sep 19, 2019
By: Christopher Woody
Ships docked offshore in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, November 24, 2018.
Associated Press
- The Solomon Islands switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing this week, leaving Taiwan with just 16 official allies.
- The Solomons was Taiwan's largest remaining ally in the Pacific, and the change may draw a response from the US.
Taiwan lost its largest ally in the Pacific on Tuesday, when the Solomon Islands confirmed it was switching diplomatic allegiance to China.
A spokesman for the Solomon Islands' prime minister said the government's caucus took a poll on Monday, with 27 lawmakers voting in favor of switching and six abstaining, followed by the Cabinet voting unanimously in favor.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Taipei "regret[s] and strongly condemn[s]" the Solomon Island's decision to switch sides and that Taiwan would close its embassy and recall all technical and medical staff there. [FULL STORY]
