Taiwan's Diplomatic Allies and the Battle for International Space
Why Taiwan has only a handful of diplomatic allies, how China systematically poaches them, and what this means for Taiwan's international standing.
A Shrinking Circle
When the United Nations voted in 1971 to transfer China's seat from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the People's Republic of China, it triggered a cascade of diplomatic de-recognitions. The United States switched recognition in 1979. By 2024, Taiwan retained formal diplomatic relations with only 12 countries — down from 30 in the mid-1990s.
Taiwan's remaining allies are mostly small nations: in the Pacific (Palau, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu), the Caribbean (Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Central America (Belize, Guatemala), and a few others (Eswatini, Paraguay, the Vatican). These relationships are maintained through generous aid programs, development projects, and in some cases direct financial support.
The Holy See is Taiwan's most significant remaining ally — and the only one in Europe. The Vatican's recognition of Taiwan has survived decades of Chinese pressure, partly because the CCP's treatment of Catholic communities in China complicates any rapprochement, though a provisional agreement on bishop appointments in 2018 signaled possible warming.