HONG KONG, January 15. /TASS/. The Taiwanese authorities are severing diplomatic relations with the Republic of Nauru and withdrawing their representation in the Pacific island nation, Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang said at a press conference.

"Starting from this day, we are terminating diplomatic relations with the Republic of Nauru, and completely halting all plans for bilateral cooperation. The embassy and technical staff will be withdrawn," he said.

Earlier, Nauruan President David Adeang said that the Micronesian nation’s government had announced that it was refusing to recognize Taiwan as a separate country and will consider the island an inseparable part of China. He also indicated that Nauru was severing diplomatic relations with Taiwan as of January 15 and would no longer have any official relations with Taipei.

Currently, 12 countries recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state and maintain diplomatic relations with Taipei: Belize, Vatican City, Guatemala, Haiti, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tuvalu, Eswatini, and Vatican City.

Taiwan has been governed by its own local administration since 1949, when remnants of the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in the Chinese Civil War. Under the One China policy, Beijing considers Taiwan to be one of China's provinces.