Two senior minister of Taiwan have been resigned on Tuesday over the loss of millions of dollars in a failed attempt to persuade Papua New Guinea to officially recognize Taiwan. The government said Foreign Minister James Huang & Deputy Premier Chiou I-jen were leaving their posts.

The resignations follow last week’s revelations that Taiwan lost $29.8 million in a failed 2006 attempt to establish ties with Papua New Guinea.

The money was intended as economic aid for Papua New Guinea, providing it switched its recognition from rival China. It was given to two middlemen in 2006 on the assumption they could induce the impoverished Pacific nation to abandon Beijing.