Taiwan worried about Malawi's plan to switch

Taipei (dpa) - Taiwan admitted Monday it is making a last-ditch effort to prevent the African nation of Malawi from switching diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China.

"China is using astronomical figures to sabotage our ties with Malawi, and we are closely monitoring developments," Acting Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Foebe Yeh told a new conference.

"But when we checked with Malawi's ambassador to Taiwan, Thengo Maloya, he said Malawi's ties with Taiwan have not changed," she added.

Yeh said Taiwan has sent Deputy Minister Yang Tzu-pao to Malawi to try to save ties.

On December 21, the Malawian newspaper Nyasa Times reported that President Bingu wa Mutharika had approved recognizing China, and two Cabinet ministers, Minister of Presidential and Parliamentary Affairs Davis Katsonga and Minister of Energy and Mining Henry Chimunthu Banda, accompanied by two Foreign Ministry officials, were to fly to Beijing via Bangkok Monday.

They will sign a memorandum of understanding to prepare for fully launching diplomatic ties, the paper said.

If Malawi recognizes China, it must cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan because although Taiwan accepts dual recognition, China rejects it because Beijing sees Taiwan as its breakaway province and bars its allies from having formal ties with Taipei.

Malawi is one of the 24 countries which recognize Taiwan. China is wooing these countries to drop Taipei and recognize Beijing.