Kiribati Severs Ties With Taiwan Amid Pressure from Chinese Regime

Kiribati Severs Ties With Taiwan Amid Pressure from Chinese Regime
Lagoons can be seen from a plane as it flies above Kiritimati Island, part of the Pacific Island nation of Kiribati, April 5, 2016. Lincoln Feast/Reuters
Reuters
Updated:

TAIPEI—Taiwan said on Sept. 20 that the Pacific island nation of Kiribati had announced that it was terminating diplomatic relations, leaving Taiwan short another ally amid pressure by the Chinese communist regime on nations with diplomatic relations with the self-ruled island.

China claims Taiwan, which also goes by the Republic of China, as its territory, and says the democratic island has no right to formal ties with any country.