Taiwan Says China’s Embrace of Chad Will Hurt Ties

Winning over of a landlocked, poor and conflict-riddled African nation might not seem like a great victory, but any time a country switches allegiance from Taiwan to the People’s Republic, China regards it as a diplomatic coup. Chad once recognized Taiwan, calling China a “common enemy” because of that country’s alleged support of Sudanese militias and Chadian rebels destabilizing its eastern border. After months of secret negotiations, however, the government of President Idriss Déby switched allegiance at a ceremony in Beijing. The timing was humiliating for Taiwan, with the news arriving just hours before the Taiwanese prime minister was due to board a plane to attend Déby’s inauguration. The new arrangement provides security for Chad along its eastern border, while China gains potential access to Chad’s oil resources. Time will tell how much the diplomatic shuffle will affect China’s protection of Sudan in the United Nations or cross-strait relations with Taiwan. – YaleGlobal