China, El Salvador establish ties in fresh defeat for Taiwan

China and El Salvador established diplomatic relations today as the Central American nation ditched Taiwan in yet another victory for Beijing in its campaign to isolate the island.

Beijing has been using its economic clout to peel away international support for the democratically-ruled island, leaving it with only 17 diplomatic allies around the world.

Speaking in Beijing at the Diaoyutai Guest House, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised El Salvador's decision to "recognise there is one China in the world".

Salvadoran Foreign Minister Carlos Castaneda, after signing a document with Wang establishing relations, said his country had made a "strategic decision" and taken the "correct and beneficial path for the people of both nations".

The president of El Salvador, Salvador Sanchez Ceren, said in an address on national television Monday night: "I announce that my government has taken the decision to break diplomatic relations maintained until today between the Republic of El Salvador and Taiwan, and establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China."
"El Salvador has made the choice to commit itself to one China with no pre-conditions, thus standing with most countries in the world," Wang said in comments that seemed intended to pre-empt Taiwanese accusations that