Nicaragua stands by its diplomatic and commercial ties with Taiwan despite Costa Rica's recent decision to drop Taipei for China, Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Samuel Santos said Friday, according to dpa. Santos decorated the Taiwanese Ambassador to Nicaragua Ming-ta Hung, whose mission in the Central American country has come to an end, and thanked him for "the excellent task" he carried out in the fields of cooperation and investment. The minister told reporters that the postponement of a visit to Taipei originally planned for March is no sign of a lack of interest in the relationship from the government of Sandinista President Daniel Ortega. Taiwan is currently recognized by only 24 countries, among them Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Belize. Analysts in Taipei feared a regional domino effect springing from Costa Rica's decision to drop Taiwan for China on June 1.
