 For the PRC, relations with Kiribati had been relatively important, since Beijing had a satellite-tracking station established there (since 1997).Therefore, for three weeks the PRC called upon I-Kiribati President Anote Tong to break off relations with Taiwan and re-affirm his support for the "One China" policy.Only after those three weeks did the PRC sever relations, thereby losing the right to maintain its satellite-tracking base in Kiribati.