The Guyana administration on Friday issued a statement saying that it “wishes to clarify that it continues to adhere to the One China policy and its diplomatic relations remain intact with the People’s Republic of China”.

This comes after Taiwan said that it’s first representative office has been set up in Guyana and had started provisionally operating in January, a development praised by the United States, reported AFP. 

Also Read: US President Joe Biden gives clarity on America’s policy towards China

Less than a day after Taiwan officially announced the setting up of the office, the foreign ministry of Guyana said that it remains committed to its strategic ties with China and scrapping the deal. 

Taiwan’s presidential office spokesman Xavier Chang described Guyana’s decision as “unilateral”.

Taiwan has openly expressed its disappointment and criticized China for pressurising Guyana to terminate the deal of setting up a trade office, saying it highlighted the Chinese government’s “evil nature”, reported AFP.

“We express the strongest dissatisfaction and condemnation that the Chinese government has again bullied and suppressed Taiwan in the international space. The Chinese government says one thing but does another which will only highlight its evil nature and further distance the people on the two sides.”, Taipei’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Taiwan has been officially recognised as a sovereign state by 15 countries only. China’s ambition to reunify Taiwan into its own territory poses the biggest threat to unwilling Taipei. This is because China’s military capabilities are known and it would not hesitate in using force if required. 

Since 2016, China has been know to foil seven of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies. This followed after President Tsai Ing-wen came assumed office and refused to acknowledge that the island belongs to “one China”.

Also Read: ‘The days of the US rolling over…are over’, says President Biden referring to Russia

The spokesperson of the foreign ministry of China had warned Tapei by saying that any attempts by Taipei “to get foreign support and engage in separatist activities is doomed to fail”.

Beijing has been known to campaign against any attempts made by Taipei to build bilateral and unilateral ties, keeping it isolated. 

Also Read: US lawmakers seek to remove China as the host of the 2022 Winter Olympics

Even though Taiwan has tried to pushback against this and tried to expand its ties and build an international presence, the Guyana fiasco comes about as a major step-up.