Thursday, May 24, 2018

Burkina Faso Breaks Ties with Taiwan Leaving only Swaziland in Africa

Reuters published on 24 May 2018 an article titled "Taiwan Loses Second Ally in a Month Amid China Pressure" by Thiam Ndiaga and Jess Macy Yu.

Burkina Faso announced on 24 May that it had cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, leaving Swaziland as the only country in Africa that still recognizes Taiwan. This move is not unexpected. China's trade with Burkina Faso has been much greater than Taiwan's for many years. Burkina Faso recognized China from 1973 until 1994, when it broke relations with Beijing and recognized Taipei. The government of Burkina Faso has not yet announced recognition of China, but will almost certainly do so soon.