Nicaragua upgrades ties with China amid Western sanctions

China and Nicaragua upgraded their bilateral ties on Wednesday, setting the stage for the Asian giant to provide more economic support to the sanctioned Central American state and furthering Beijing's strategic ambitions in the United States' backyard.

Beijing and Managua re-established diplomatic ties in 2021 after Nicaragua broke off relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, which US officials attributed to the allure of the prospect of fresh investment from China after Western countries sanctioned President Daniel Ortega's government over human rights abuses.

Reuters