Taiwan lashes out at Bolivia for expressing solidarity with China following earthquake on island

Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Bolivia and Taiwan have been involved in a minor diplomatic row following the strong earthquake registered last April 3 on the Asian island, which left at least 13 dead.

Following the earthquake, Bolivia published a message on social media to express “its solidarity with the sister People’s Republic of China, in view of the loss of lives and the severe material damage registered by an earthquake of great magnitude occurred in the last hours in the coasts of Taiwan”. 

The gesture of solidarity was not well received in Taiwan, since in its message Bolivia conflated the island of Taiwan with the People’s Republic of China, when Taiwan has long sought autonomy, recognition and independence from mainland China. 

This generated an angry response from Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, who accused Bolivia of being a “pathetic puppet of the evil and expansionist People’s Republic of China” and stressed that Taiwan “is not part of communist China”.

The recent confrontation between Taiwan and Bolivia reflects the complex diplomatic dynamics in Latin America regarding Taiwan and China. This dispute underscores the tension between China, which seeks reunification with Taiwan, and Taiwan, which struggles to maintain its autonomy and international recognition.

In Latin America, only Honduras, Guatemala and Belize maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, despite pressure from China to break those ties and recognize the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representative of China. These relations are based on economic and cultural cooperation as well as domestic political considerations.

However, China has intensified its efforts to gain influence in Latin America, offering investment and trade agreements in exchange for countries changing their diplomatic recognition in favor of the People’s Republic of China. This has generated tensions and has led some countries, such as Panama and the Dominican Republic and Honduras, to change their diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China.

In this context, the dispute highlights the complexity of international relations in the region, where Latin American countries must balance their political, economic and strategic interests amidst global geopolitical rivalries.

This incident further underscores the challenge Taiwan faces in maintaining its position in the international community, especially in a context where China seeks to weaken its diplomatic and economic presence in the world. Ultimately, it highlights the importance of the one-China policy in the international arena and how it affects bilateral relations between Taiwan, China and other countries.

Main source:

Taiwán arremete contra Bolivia por un mensaje de solidaridad con China tras el sismo (2024, 6 de abril).
https://www.rfi.fr/es/m%C3%A1s-noticias/20240406-taiw%C3%A1n-arremete-contra-bolivia-por-un-mensaje-de-solidaridad-con-china-tras-el-sismo

Other related sources:

France 24 (6 de abril, 2024). https://www.france24.com/es/minuto-a-minuto/20240406-taiw%C3%A1n-arremete-contra-bolivia-por-un-mensaje-de-solidaridad-con-china-tras-el-sismo