Taiwan's foreign minister says China could steal away allies before key election

Taiwan's foreign minister said Thursday that rival China could undermine the island's diplomatic standing in the run-up to key elections this weekend amid signs that two allies are considering switching ties to Beijing.

Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949. In recent years, China's rising political and economic clout has helped it persuade more countries to recognize Beijing instead of Taipei, reducing the number of Taiwan's allies to only 24 _ most of them small and impoverished nations in Latin America, Africa and the South Pacific.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Foreign Minister James Huang said China was likely to make further diplomatic inroads at Taiwan's expense around the time of legislative elections Saturday and President Chen Shui-bian's visit to Latin America early next week.

"Various signs have shown that China is very likely to sap the morale of Taiwan's people around the time when legislative elections take place or when a top Taiwanese official makes an overseas visit," he said. "We are facing grave challenges on the diplomatic front."

Huang's statement came amid reports that Malawi and the Marshall Islands, two of Taiwan's allies, are considering switching their recognition to China.

In his remarks on Thursday, Huang praised Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika and said Taiwan still has "positive expectations" that the African country will maintain ties.

On the Marshalls, he said, China is trying to undermine Taiwan's position there.

"China is still continuing its efforts to turn the Marshall Islands around," Huang said. "We are paying close attention to the matter."

Huang had to abort a planned visit to Malawi last week to shore up diplomatic support because the African ally refused to receive him. That visit was planned after two senior Malawian ministers visited Beijing in what Taiwan feared was a prelude to the establishment of formal ties between Malawi and China.

Taiwan's concern about a possible Marshall Islands defection stems from this week's election of Litokwa Tomeing as the country's president. Tomeing has come out in favor of switching ties from Taipei to Beijing.