China trumpeted its establishment yesterday of full diplomatic relations with Taiwan's biggest remaining supporter, South Africa, which dealt another blow to Taiwan's campaign for recognition abroad.
China's latest diplomatic win brings the dwindling number of nations that recognise Taiwan down to 29, most of which are poor and tiny developing countries in Africa, Latin America, and the South Pacific islands. South Africa was the last major industrialised country to recognise the island.
China, which views Taiwan as a breakaway province, has its eyes set on the island's seven remaining African supporters as well. "China is willing to establish diplomatic relations with all African nations," a foreign ministry spokesman, Mr Tang Guoqiang, said yesterday.
The official Xinhua news agency stressed that diplomatic relations with South Africa "will have a positive impact on expanding co-operation between China and African countries". China accuses Taiwan of what it calls "dollar diplomacy" - offering financial aid to poor Third World countries in exchange for diplomatic recognition.
Taiwan has repeatedly denied the charge, although it has in fact pledged to help rebuild such war-ravaged nations as the Central African Republic, which restored diplomatic links with it in 1991.
Mr Tang reiterated the charges yesterday, claiming that Taiwan is trying "to capitalise on the temporary economic difficulties of some African countries" and "in the name of economic assistance to rope them in to establishing diplomatic relations or restoring diplomatic relations". He added: "We hope these countries will be highly vigilant against the Taiwan authorities' plot . . . to buy diplomatic recognition."
Taiwan criticised South Africa's decision yesterday, and vowed to immediately sever 21 years of official relations today.
Taiwan's foreign ministry spokesman, Mr Roy Wu, said Taipei "deeply regretted" Pretoria's move, which had "gravely hurt our country's image and people's feelings".
In April, Taiwan's economic ministry was quoted as saying it would help its enterprises in South Africa relocate their plants to nearby Swaziland, which maintains diplomatic relations with the island. More than 600 Taiwanese companies have invested in South Africa.
The South African Foreign Minister, Mr Alfred Nzo, and China's Foreign Minister, Mr Qian Qichen, signed the formal agreement in Pretoria opening full diplomatic ties yesterday.
A joint communique said South Africa "recognises that there is but one China in the world". It said, "The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China," adding that Pretoria "recognises China's position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China".
President Mandela had announced a year ago that South Africa would switch its recognition from Taiwan to Beijing.