Two countries that are keeping it real with Taiwan decided to send delegations to a fancy forum in Beijing last week. This move really showed how mainland China is trying to woo the few official friends Taipei has left, according to some smart folks who study this stuff. So, Representatives from Haiti and St Lucia, who are part of Taiwan’s small crew of 12 official allies, showed up at the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) Forum on Tuesday. This got some people worried about China’s increasing diplomatic pressure, as they strongly believe that Taiwan is basically just another part of China.
The presence of Haiti and St Lucia at this forum had some analysts scratching their heads, thinking that maybe China is being a little more chill when it comes to dealing with countries that still recognize Taiwan. One wise person even said that going to this event doesn’t necessarily mean they’re switching sides. They pointed out that a lot of countries are just trying to do what makes sense for them in terms of diplomacy. So, at the event on Tuesday, everyone got to see the flags of Haiti and St Lucia proudly displayed in the main plenary hall. But interestingly enough, the flags of Guatemala and Belize, two other Celac members who are tight with Taiwan, were nowhere to be found in the room.
Haiti and St Lucia are part of Celac, which is a group of 33 countries in the region. At the forum, Haiti had their Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste, holding it down. As for St Lucia, they sent diplomat Peter Lansiquot to represent them. Taiwan’s foreign ministry made sure to mention that both countries gave them a heads up about attending the forum, and they wanted everyone to know that their relationships are still going strong. It’s like they’re saying, “We’re all good, don’t worry about us.” So, it looks like even though China is doing its thing, Haiti and St Lucia are staying true to their Taiwan connections.
