Chinese and Nicaraguan FM meet online after establishing ties

Nicaragua inked a deal switching diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China in a political coup for Beijing as it seeks to isolate the democratic island it has vowed to one day seize.

The announcement leaves Taiwan with just 14 diplomatic allies but comes as Taipei strengthens ties with multiple unofficial Western friends including the United States.

China has spent decades encouraging Taiwan's dwindling diplomatic allies to switch sides, including three others in Latin America in recent years -- Panama, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic.

On Thursday, the administration of Daniel Ortega announced that Nicaragua was following suit.

"The People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing all of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory," Foreign Minister Denis Moncada said.

Ortega's son Laureano Facundo Ortega Murillo led a delegation of Nicaraguan officials who signed a joint communique  in the Chinese city of Tianjin establishing ties.

"This is a correct choice that conforms to broader trends and people's aspirations. China highly commends this," Beijing's foreign ministry said.