Trump to visit Saudi Arabia in mid-May: Report    Worshippers in Makkah and Madinah perform Eid Al-Fitr prayer    Saudi authorities shut down food factories and branches over suspected poisoning cases    Saudi Arabia welcomes formation of new Syrian government, expresses hope for stronger ties    Saudi Transport Authority says passengers can ride for free if taxi meters are off    Ministry of Education forms 425 community partnerships with SR653 million impact    Defense, interior, and national guard ministers extend Eid greetings, praise efforts of military and security personnel    Syria forms new government with 22 ministers including one woman President Sharaa vows reform and transparency    Israeli army fires warning shots at UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon    Denmark rebukes US Vice President Vance over Greenland remarks    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Makkah and Madinah mobile data usage exceeds global average during Ramadan: CST    Elon Musk's xAI acquires X in all-stock deal    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    100 Thieves claim Marvel Rivals Invitational NA crown as 2025 scene heats up    T1 CEO confirms Gumayusi's return for LCK Spring after lineup shakeup    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Saudi Arabia hold Japan to goalless draw in Saitama to stay in World Cup hunt    NewJeans announces hiatus after setback in court battle    George Foreman, heavyweight champion and cultural icon, dies at 76    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Pence rebuffs Solomon Islands PM after nation cuts Taiwan ties
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 18 - 09 - 2019

US Vice President Mike Pence has canceled plans to meet the leader of the Solomon Islands to discuss development partnerships after the Pacific island cut ties with Taiwan in favor of China this week, a senior US official said on Tuesday.
The Solomon Islands was the sixth country to switch allegiance to China since 2016. Self-ruled Taiwan has accused China — which claims Taiwan as its territory — of trying to meddle in its upcoming elections.
Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare had asked Pence in July for a meeting, the senior administration official told Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The meeting was to have taken place this month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, or afterward in Washington.
"But the decision by the Solomon Islands to change its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to the People's Republic of China has consequences. They're hurting a historically strong relationship by doing this," the official said.
"It's a setback, and it's prioritizing short-term gain with China over long-term commitment with the US," the official said.
The United States — which has a fraught relationship with China over trade, defense and technology issues — upholds what is known as the "one-China" policy, officially recognizing Beijing and not Taipei, while assisting Taiwan.
Washington and Beijing are embroiled in a trade war, slapping tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of each other's goods. The United States is also pushing to restrict Chinese state-owned telecom companies over concerns about espionage - allegations rejected by China.
President Donald Trump's administration is also considering confronting China over its detention of some 1 million Muslims in Xinjiang province at next week's UN meeting.
Pence has criticized China for what he calls "debt-trap" lending practices to small countries, pushing them into debt and compromising their sovereignty. China denies those charges.
"Countries that establish closer ties to China primarily out of the hope or expectation that such a step will stimulate economic growth and infrastructure development often find themselves worse off in the long run," the US official said.
China's Foreign Ministry said the United States had no right to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries when it came to their relations with China, and pointed out that the United States also had no formal ties with Taiwan.
If the United States really cares about Pacific island countries, it should do more to help them improve their economies and people's lives and not "brandish the stick of sanctions" at them, spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters.
After the Solomon Islands decision, Taiwan has formal relations with only 16 countries, many of them small, less-developed nations in Central America and the Pacific.
Taiwan has accused China of trying to lure away its allies with offers of cheap loans and other financial inducements.
On Wednesday, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry posted on its Facebook page messages from Solomon Islanders lamenting their country's decision to abandon Taiwan.
"The people of the Solomon Islands continue to leave us comments expressing their gratitude to the technical mission and the medical team which have been working to help the local people there for years," it said.
"Taiwan provides aid by bringing better lives to the local people directly, and we don't leave a debt trap in our wake. And this is the Taiwan model."
The Solomons, a former British protectorate that is home to about 600,000 people, had been the largest of the Taiwan-aligned Pacific countries, with access to airfields and deep-water ports dating back to World War Two.
After his July phone call with Pence, Sogavare sent him a letter, saying he was "favorably disposed" to ask his Cabinet to defer a decision on its Taiwan ties until later in the year.
Sogavare emphasized that he needed help from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Taiwan to develop infrastructure — a critical domestic issue for his government — according to a copy of the letter reviewed by Reuters.
"It is the one agenda that has the potential to split the cabinet and could potentially cause the government to fall," Sogavare said in the letter.
Beijing said on Tuesday that the Solomon Islands would have unprecedented development opportunities after cutting ties with Taiwan. China had offered $8.5 million in development funds to the Solomons ahead of its decision. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.