During a ceremony in Beijing, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi and his Nauru counterpart Lionel Aingimea formally signed a document to restore bilateral relations, with ties at the ambassadorial level resuming with immediate effect.

Democratically governed Taiwan lost Nauru, one of its few remaining diplomatic allies, to China on Jan 15, just days after a new Taiwanese president was elected.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taiwan strongly disputes.

Nauru’s government said it was seeking full resumption of diplomatic relations with China “in the best interests” of the country and its people.

Nauru had recognised China before, between 2002 and 2005.

Taiwan’s 12 remaining diplomatic allies include the Vatican, Guatemala, and Paraguay, plus Palau, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands in the Pacific.