Diplomatic Ties With Taiwan Approved

Vanuatu’s Cabinet agreed today to grant diplomatic recognition to Taiwan despite having long-standing formal links with China, a spokesman said.

The unanimous decision was made at an informal meeting, the prime minister’s spokesman Kalvau Moli said. It was not clear if the move required a formal meeting to make it official.

The decision followed two weeks of conflicting signals from the South Pacific nation and appeared to be a victory for Taiwan in its competition with China for diplomatic ties. It was likely to anger Beijing, which refuses to have relations with governments that recognize Taipei.