GRTS television yesterday announced the resumption of diplomatic relations between The Gambia and China.
The Minister of foreign affairs of The Gambia, Mrs Neneh Macdouall Gaye, together with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi yesterday signed a joint communiqué establishing diplomatic ties at ambassadorial level between the two countries.
The GRTS report indicated that the two had discussion on a wide range of issues, including agriculture, trade, fisheries, investment in infrastructure development, health, education, transport, tourism and specific projects.
According to the South China Morning Post, Taiwan’s foreign ministry immediately expressed regret at Gambia’s shift of diplomatic allegiance. “Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperation and friendship with its diplomatic allies,” the ministry said.
In 1995 The Gambia established diplomatic relations with Taiwan resulting in Beijing severing diplomatic relation with The Gambia. Taiwan funded a lot of projects and relations between the two were close.
But all of a sudden, Gambia severed diplomatic ties with Taipei in 2013, saying the decision was taken in its “strategic national interest”.
The Gambia now recognises Taiwan as an inalienable part of China’s territory and that there is only one China which is represented by the government of the People’s Republic of China according to a communiqué signed on Thursday.
