Photo: Members of PARLACEN
by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Aug. 24, 2023
After two decades of holding the status of a permanent observer, Taiwan has lost that status within the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), which recently voted to replace it with China.
PARLACEN is a regional and permanent organ of political and democratic representation of the System of Central American Integration (SICA) with the fundamental objective of realizing the integration of the Central American countries.
This parliament, representing six countries in the region – Guatemala, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua—had granted Taipei the privilege of actively participating in its functions and activities.
However, earlier this week, the organization met in Managua, Nicaragua, where the proposal for replacing Taiwan with China was debated.
A major concern among many legislators was what they believe are questions surrounding Taiwan’s status as a sovereign nation, and lack of recognition of that status by some countries. The island nation has been embroiled in a long-standing dispute with mainland China regarding its sovereignty.
Citing the importance of maintaining peace and unity within the Central American region, members of PARLACEN eventually approved the proposal with a notable margin – 73 votes in favor, 32 against, and nine abstentions.
It is imperative to highlight that not everyone agreed with this decision. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, and Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, for example, jointly condemned the decision.
Their statement read, “Since 1999, Taiwan has served as a strong partner in its role as a permanent observer of the Central American Parliament, encouraging good governance and economic development in our Hemisphere.”
Also, Hon. Carolyn Trench-Sandiford, the President of the Senate of Belize (a SICA member), voiced the Belize government’s discontent with the decision made by PARLACEN in a press release dated August 23.
“It is very concerning to learn that the Central American Parliament took a harsh decision to terminate the Republic of China’s (Taiwan) permanent observer status. For Belize, Taiwan has been and will continue to be a valuable development partner,” she stated.
“Their efforts have been unparalleled in complementing our region’s development. The National Assembly of Belize and the Belizean people express its solidarity and friendship with the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan),” she affirmed.
Reacting to this development, Taiwan’s foreign minister announced the nation’s immediate disengagement from PARLACEN, stressing the importance of upholding their “national dignity”.
Despite these setbacks, Taiwan continues to maintain diplomatic ties with several nations, including Belize, Guatemala, and Paraguay. However, the last few years have seen a decline in Taiwan’s diplomatic footprint in Latin America.
Notably, countries such as El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama have shifted their alliances, choosing to form partnerships with China instead of Taiwan.
While the United States might not extend official recognition to Taiwan, it is worth noting that the two nations share a significant bond, marked by deep-rooted unofficial ties and mutual interests.