Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his Chadian counterpart Ahmad Allam-mi signed a joint communique in Beijing agreeing to resume ties.

Chad and China established a formal diplomatic relationship in 1972 but ended it in 1997 when Chad's government switched its allegiance to Taiwan. Taiwan split with the mainland in 1949, but China still considers the island to be part of its territory.

In recent decades, Taiwan has been fighting efforts by Beijing to reduce the number of Taiwan's diplomatic allies.

Beijing is focusing on Africa, using its economic power to offer lucrative aid, trade and investment deals in exchange for oil, raw materials and diplomatic support.

Chad, a small-scale oil exporter, began pumping oil from a southern field in 2003 and exported about 133 million barrels in its first two years.

Announcing his country was cutting its ties with Chad Aug. 6, Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokesman Michael Lu accused China of using its status as a member of the U.N. Security Council, and its ability to influence events in neighboring Sudan, to convince Chad to break their formal relations.

Taiwan's Foreign Minister James Huang said Chad had planned to cut its ties with Taiwan if China agreed to cease its military aid to forces who are threatening to topple the Chadian government. So Taiwan ended their relations with the African nation.

"Chad made the compromise for its own survival," Huang said.

Only 24 nations now have full diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Most are small and impoverished countries in Africa, the Pacific and Latin America.

The Japan Times Weekly: Aug. 12, 2006
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