The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) solemnly makes the following statement: the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) expresses its strongest regret that the government of the Republic of Chad has acquiesced in the face of pressure from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and has decided to establish formal ties with the PRC. In order to safeguard its national dignity, sovereignty and the welfare of its people, the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has no choice but to sever diplomatic relations with the Republic of Chad and to terminate all cooperative and aid projects between the two countries. In early 2006, the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) was made aware that bilateral ties between Taiwan and Chad might indeed suffer due to the PRC government manipulating its support for rebels in Chad as leverage. The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) had therefore spared no effort in solidifying diplomatic relations with Chad, and after learning that Chad was engaging in covert arrangements with the PRC, similarly made every endeavor to negotiate with Chad. However, Chad was eventually lured into giving up its friendship with Taiwan in exchange for the PRC offer to help solve a dispute between Chad’s rebels and Sudan. The Republic of China (Taiwan) strongly condemns the PRC for trying to stifle our presence in the international arena while poaching our diplomatic allies through exploiting a festering rebel dispute. The Republic of China (Taiwan) also regrets that the government and leadership of the Republic of Chad has, in breach of its promises to Taiwan and regardless of its own national dignity, succumbed to the malice of the PRC. Though faced with unreasonable obstruction from the PRC, the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) will continue to strive for the international presence and status it fully deserves and will continue to safeguard the welfare of its people.
