Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao (R) meets with Gambian Foreign Minister Neneh MacDouall Gaye, in Beijing, capital of China, March 17, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Tao)
FM says time was ripe for resumption of ties
China and Gambia announced on Thursday they would resume diplomatic relations, 21 years after the West African country broke its ties with the Chinese mainland and turned to Taiwan.
Observers said the move will pressure Taiwan's incoming new leader Tsai Ing-wen to rethink the stance of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that could sour future cross-Straits ties.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Gambian counterpart Neneh MacDouall-Gaye signed a joint communiqué in Beijing on Thursday to resume diplomatic relations.
"The Gambian government recognizes that there is only one China in the world and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory," the communiqué says.
The two countries established formal diplomatic links in 1974 but the mainland suspended the relations in 1995 when Gambia resumed "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan.
Gambia severed ties with Taiwan in 2013 and expressed a strong will to resume relations with the Chinese mainland. But the Chinese government did not immediately accept the offer, not willing to hurt the cross-Straits relations, which were then making progress under Kuomintang leader Ma Ying-jeou running the island, according to experts on the Taiwan question.
"But sooner or later, China needs to reply to Gambia's request for the resumption of ties," said Xiu Chunping, a professor of Taiwan studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Tsai is scheduled to assume office on May 20. The Chinese mainland is closely watching the new government's tone on cross-Straits relations.
"If Tsai can accept the 1992 Consensus that emphasizes both sides belong to one China, many things will become easy to deal with, especially Taiwan's space in the world," Xiu told the Global Times.
Guo Yongjun, an expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said Chinese mainland's resumption of ties with Gambia is not aimed at Taiwan.
"The re-establishment of ties between the mainland and Gambia is a result of a natural development of their relations, and is based on their own wills," Guo told the Global Times.
But still, Tsai's official stance on cross-Straits relations is vital to determine Taiwan's future space in the world, he said.
"Tsai's previous statements over cross-Straits ties shows a substantially different stance with Ma. If she still does not change the stance before she is sworn into office, there will be great uncertainties with Taiwan's future 'foreign relations,'" Guo said.
The mainland has established diplomatic relations with most countries. Only 22 countries, mainly in Latin America, Oceania and Africa, still maintain ties with Taiwan. According to Taiwan media reports, many of these countries have expressed their willingness to establish ties with the Chinese mainland.
Taiwan's "foreign ministry" expressed regret on Thursday over the mainland's resumption of ties with Gambia, according to media reports.
During the talks between the two foreign ministers earlier on Thursday, Wang dubbed the resumption of the diplomatic ties a natural result that reflects the mutual wills and basic interests of the two peoples.
"It's like a canal is formed when water comes, or fruits come off when ripe," Wang said.
China will focus on cooperation with Gambia in agriculture, fishery, investment, infrastructure, human resources and other areas in order to help it develop its economy and improve people's livelihood. The two sides will also enhance people-to-people exchanges, Wang said.
China and Gambia have already been talking about actual deals. According to a report by Gambian newspaper The Point on Thursday, Gambia and Chinese company Sinohydro have just ended negotiations on building a 50-megawatt generation plant, which is touted as a "landmark deal" to enhance power production in Gambia.
