Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou on Friday denied China was behind Gambia’s surprise decision to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which left the island with a dwindling number of allies.
“There were no signs ... before Gambia’s cutting ties (with Taiwan), it is an isolated incident and based on the information from various sources, China did not interfere,” Ma told a briefing in Taipei.
Ma was responding to a question on concerns in Taiwan on whether China was involved in the diplomatic setback and whether Gambia’s move could trigger a “domino effect” among the island’s remaining 22 allies.
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh caught Taiwan unawares last week when he said his government had broken off diplomatic ties after 18 years owing to “strategic national interest”.
Expressing “shock and regret” at the decision, Taipei sent two senior diplomats to Gambia in an attempt to rescue the relationship, but their request to meet Jammeh was twice rejected, foreign ministry officials said.
China, which has growing investments and influence in Africa, swiftly denied it put pressure on Gambia, but said support for “the peaceful reunification of China is an irreversible trend”.