31.   The trip is also partly aimed at pre-empting any attempt by impoverished countries to switch diplomatic recognition from Beijing to the rival nationalist government in Taiwan.

32.   The United States has had not diplomatic ties with Taiwan since it switched recognition to mainland China.

33.   When Taipei found out Niger had decided to switch recognition, it immediately stopped all aid and cooperation programs in the African country, Chang said.

34.   It is the first visit to Niger by a Chinese official since Niamey switched diplomatic recognition last August from Taipei to Beijing.

35.   It staged a major diplomatic coup when South Africa announced it would switch recognition from Taiwan to mainland China at the end of the year.

36.   It staged a major diplomatic coup when South Africa announced that it would switch recognition from Taiwan to mainland China at the end of the year.

37.   It succeeded last month in getting Niger Niger to switch diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.

38.   President Nelson Mandela said in a surprise anouncement Wednesday that South Africa is to cut its diplomatic ties with Taiwan and switch recognition to mainland China.

39.   Similarly, Taipei has previously broken ties with any country which switches formal recognition to Beijing.

40.   South African President Nelson Mandela was quoted on Thursday as calling Taiwan an independent country, after his government switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.