http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6729035.stm
Costa Rica's President Oscar Arias has announced that his country has broken diplomatic ties with Taiwan after 60 years and formed relations with China.
Mr Arias said Costa Rica needed to develop closer ties with China in order to attract foreign investment.
Taiwan and China have been governed separately since the end of a civil war in 1949, and both still compete for diplomatic recognition.
Taiwan's foreign minister has offered to resign over the Costa Rican move.
The switch leaves Taiwan with just 24 allies, compared to China's 170.
China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province which it has vowed to retake. It refuses to have diplomatic ties with nations that recognise Taiwan.
"We will immediately end our ties with Costa Rica and terminate all co-operation programmes," said Taiwanese Foreign Minister James Huang.
Mr Huang said he believed Costa Rica to be an isolated case, but added that Taiwan must be careful to maintain its diplomatic links.
"I've asked our embassies to take extreme precautions against any further pressure by the Chinese communists," said Mr Huang.
Following suit
At a news conference, the Costa Rican president thanked Taiwan for its "solidarity and co-operation" but said he had taken the decision "thinking of all the Costa Ricans".
"We are looking to strengthen the commercial ties and attract investment. China is the most successful emerging economy in the world," said President Arias.
Analysts say Taiwan is fearful that Costa Rica's shift in allegiance to Beijing could prompt other Latin American nations such as Nicaragua and Panama to follow.
中央社
外交部今天發表聲明表示,哥斯大黎加政府在中國威脅利誘下,於台北時間七日清晨宣佈與中國建交而與台灣斷交,中華民國(台灣)政府對此至表遺憾。為維護國家尊嚴與利益,中華民國(台灣)政府決定,自即日起終止與哥斯大黎加共和國外交關係,並停止雙方一切合作計畫。
聲明指出,中華民國(台灣)與哥斯大黎加於1944 年建立外交關係以來,兩國一向理念相同,致力推展民主、自由及國際和平事業,中華民國(台灣)也始終積極協助哥斯大黎加從事各項基礎建設,及攸關哥斯大黎加國計民生的計畫,哥斯大黎加歷任政府及人民對兩國邦誼及各項合作亦深表滿意。
聲明表示,哥國現任阿里亞斯總統(Oscar Arias )自2006年5月上任以來,不顧兩國之共同價值及長久邦誼,與中國秘密進行多次建交談判;中華民國(台灣)政府基於珍視對台哥間超過一甲子邦誼,曾積極、持續與哥國政府溝通,展現最大合作誠意,但哥方仍一意孤行。
阿里亞斯總統1987年以成功協調中美洲武裝衝突而獲頒諾貝爾和平獎,他追求中美洲和平、自由及民主之決心當時廣獲國際肯定。聲明認為,阿里亞斯總統卻決定捨棄與哥國共享和平、自由及人權普世價值的台灣,轉而與專制集權的共產中國為伍,我方經一切努力無效後,決定中止雙方關係,以維護中華民國(台灣)外交自主及尊嚴。
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錯了吧?1944年與哥國建交的不是中華民國(台灣),如果承認這點,豈不是說當時,或「自始」台灣是中國(1944年由重慶中華民國政府代表)的一部份?從這一角度分析,斷交是好事。
台灣外交應該實行「打掃乾淨屋子再請客」方針。
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