China has invited rival Taiwan's diplomatic allies in Africa to a conference in Beijing on Chinese-African relations, the government said, in an apparent effort to prod them to break ties with Taipei.
BEIJINGChina has invited rival Taiwan's diplomatic allies in Africa to a conference in Beijing on Chinese-African relations, the government said Wednesday, in an apparent effort to prod them to break ties with Taipei.
The five countries — Burkina Faso, Swaziland, Malawi, Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe — have been invited as observers to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation on Nov. 3-5, the official Xinhua News Agency said, citing a government announcement.
China and Taiwan, which split amid civil war in 1949, compete for ties with other governments, offering aid and other inducements to persuade nations to switch recognition between them.
The November conference could allow the communist mainland to highlight to Taiwan's African partners the possible trade and economic payoff of switching relations to Beijing.
Taipei wants official relations to support its status as a sovereign government, while Beijing tries to deny the island such ties to back up its claim that Taiwan is the mainland's territory.
Taiwan has official relations with about two dozen governments, mostly small, poor nations in Africa and Latin America, while Beijing has ties with more than 150.
Chinese-African trade is booming as Beijing looks to Africa as a new source of energy and markets.
