The defection of Panama on Tuesday leaves Taiwan with just 20 countries that formerly recognize it.

巴拿馬離開後，台灣只剩下 20 個承認它的國家

Most of these are small, impoverished nations like Palau in the South Pacific and Haiti in the Caribbean.

而其中大多是又小又窮的國家，像是南太平洋的帛琉及加勒比海的海地

Panama's switch is a blow to the pro-independence government of Tsai Ing-wen.

巴拿馬與台灣斷交和與中國建交是對支持台獨的蔡英文政府的一個打擊

And it highlights how China is deploying a mix of carrots and sticks to exploit the diplomatic vacuum left by president Donald Trump.

這凸顯了中國正運用獎懲並行的制度以利用川普引起的外交吸力

China has worked hard to neutralize oppositions to the military bases it built in the South China Sea.

中國一直在努力消除各國對南海軍事基地的反對意見

Meanwhile, South Korea has suspended the deployment of the US-backed missile shield after an economic boycott by Beijing.

同時，因北京政府的經濟抵制，南韓暫停了美國支援的導彈防禦系統配置

China claims that Taiwan is its territory.

中國宣稱台灣是自己的領土

Under threat of sanction from Beijing, most countries refuse to recognize Taiwan's government.

而因受到北京政府制裁的威脅，多數國家拒絕承認台灣的政府

Diplomats expect more of Taiwan's allies to follow Panama's lead.

外交官們預期看到更多台灣邦交國追隨巴拿馬的腳步

Taiwan is not likely to bend to Beijing's will anytime soon, but the pressure is increasing.

台灣不會這麼快屈服於北京政府，但壓力確實升高了

While Asian nations fret over President Trump's lack of commitment to the region,

在某些亞洲國家因川普對該地區的忽視而感到不安的同時

China is exploiting the uncertainty to maximum advantage.

中國大幅利用了這個不確定性

Ben Bland, Financial Times, Hong Kong.

Ben Bland 報導，金融時報，香港