Taiwan blames China for loss of diplomatic relations with south Pacific island of Nauru

Taiwan president-elect Lai Ching-te with former US national security adviser Stephen Hadley during his visit at the presidential office in Taipei. Photograph: Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party/AFP via Getty Images Taiwan blamed Beijing after it lost one of its few remaining diplomatic allies on Monday, two days after the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Lai Ching-te won the self-governing island's presidential election. The south Pacific island of Nauru said it was severing diplomatic relations with Taiwan and would instead recognise the People's Republic of China. "This change is in no way intended to affect our existing warm relationships with other countries," the…