PALAU-TRAVEL/ REUTERS/Jackson Henry An airline says a Chinese ban on tour groups visiting the Pacific nation of Palau has forced it to end its services "indefinitely." Palau Pacific Airlines said sales plummeted since China began fining tour companies for planning trips to Taiwan allies Palau and the Vatican last year. Beijing has been accused of "dollar diplomacy" in the past, luring Taiwan's allies away with promises of aid and investment, but now appears to be withholding crucial tourism dollars as a new attempt at influence. Airlines have become a pawn in diplomatic rows this year as China successfully threatened foreign carriers to adhere to its political stance on Taiwan. An airline based in the Pacific nation of Palau says it has been forced to close because of China's attempts to punish the nation for its diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Beijing considers self-ruled Taiwan to be a province of China and has taken large strides to have the international community adhere to this position while also systematically peeling off Taiwan's allies, leaving the island with just 18 countries as diplomatic partners.