No breathing space for Taiwan's 'independence'

Just hours after Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen landed on the island on her return from a trip to two Latin American countries, another, El Salvador, cut its "diplomatic relations" with Taipei, switching them to Beijing.

The timing is too sensitive to be acceptable, according to the enraged authorities in Taipei.

Indeed, it is both ironic and embarrassing for a diplomatic mission intended to cement, if not expand, international recognition to end up shrinking it. Let alone the fact that Tsai and her colleagues have lobbied hard "through all channels" available to keep the Central American country on the shortening list of countries that have "diplomatic relations" with the island.