Malawi agonizes over whether to ditch friend Taiwan in favor of China

BLANTYRE, Malawi: Tiny, impoverished Malawi heads into the new year debating whether to sever its decades-long diplomatic relationship with Taiwan in favor of its economically mighty foe, China.

The government of President Bingu wa Mutharika has publicly assured Taipei of continued ties — but has acknowledged dispatching two senior Cabinet ministers to Beijing for talks shortly before Christmas.

Malawian officials say it is too early to speculate about any change of foreign policy, but concerned Taiwanese officials summoned the African nation's ambassador to address rumors of a possible change in allegiance.

The list of nations with diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a democratic island nation of some 23 million people that split from communist China in 1949 amid civil war, is dwindling as countries establish ties with economically burgeoning China.

In 1967, 67 nations had relations with Taipei; in the past two years, Costa Rica and Senegal have switched their allegiances to China, leaving Taiwan with ties to just 24 nations, most of them small and poor like Malawi.

Taiwan devotes huge effort and resources to keeping the allegiance of its allies by giving them grants and other inducements — which in 2006 amounted to some US$531 million (€393 million).

It has pumped million of dollars into high-profile development projects in Malawi, including those in agriculture, health and technology.

Taiwan's very visible presence in Malawi is in contrast to most other African countries, such as nearby Zimbabwe and Zambia, where Chinese influence is huge.

Mutharika has been a vocal advocate of Taiwan joining the United Nations — a move blocked by U.N. Security Council member China — saying that it doesn't make sense to deny membership to a democratic country.

But sources say despite his public support for Taiwan, the Mutharika administration has been exploring ways to cultivate new relations with China. Beijing reportedly has pledged US$6 billion (€4 billion) to develop a waterway on Malawi's Shire River to link the landlocked country to neighboring Mozambique's sea ports.

Malawi's ambassador to Taiwan, Thengo Maloya, was summoned by the Taiwanese Foreign Affairs Minister last month to clarify "rumors" of the impending severance of ties between the two nations following reports about the Beijing visit.

"The Taiwanese are becoming too jittery too early," Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ben Mbewe said. "It is not a crime to talk to another member country of the United Nations."

Presidential and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Davis Katsonga and Energy and Mining Minister Henry Chimunthu Banda have remained tightlipped about their mission in China.

"As far as I am concerned, this issue has never been discussed at a Cabinet level so therefore, there has been no change in policy regarding our relations with Taiwan," said Foreign Affairs Minister Joyce Banda.

Opposition leaders have urged the Mutharika administration to consider the benefits of a long-term relationship with Beijing.

"Normally, when you choose partners in diplomatic circles, you go where you would get maximum benefits," he said. He cited China's massive economy and said "it would be stupid not to recognize that."

But a coalition of 12 mainly religious non-governmental groups called the Civic and Political Space Platform urged the government to consider Beijing's human rights record and reminded it of Taiwan's generosity and support over the past 43 years.

"History shows how hearts are devastated when men and women are incapable of recognizing other values or other effective realities apart from material goods," the group said in a paid newspaper advertisement. "There is a saying that grass looks greener on the other side of the river bank."