President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday said that there is no need for Taiwan and China to target each other and she hoped that the resumption of diplomatic ties between China and the Gambia was not meant as a hostile act.
Tsai, who is also chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party, believes that regional peace and stability and the healthy development of relations across the Taiwan Strait are the shared responsibility of both sides, party spokesman Juan Chao-hsiung (阮昭雄) said.
“The two sides need not target each other for competition in the international community, need not do things that would hurt feelings on both sides, as such actions would not be conducive to the normal development of cross-strait ties,” Tsai said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
She expressed the hope that the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and the Gambia on Thursday was not targeted at Taiwan.
“The DPP’s foreign policy is clear, which is to maintain peace, stability and prosperity with other countries,” Tsai said. “On that basis, Taiwan is willing to contribute positively to the international community, whether in the area of economy, health or humanitarian relief.”
The DPP hopes that through such efforts, Taiwan can win greater support in the international community, Tsai said.
She also said that Taiwan’s diplomatic situation is difficult, and national solidarity is needed to safeguard Taiwan’s international space, freedom and democracy.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Gambia issued a joint statement on Thursday saying that they had re-established official relations after 21 years.
The Gambia had diplomatic ties with the Republic of China until 1974, when it switched to Beijing.
In 1995, the Gambia severed diplomatic relations with China and switched back to Taiwan, but in November 2013 unilaterally broke diplomatic relations with Taiwan again.
The African country then sought to re-establish formal ties with Beiijng, but was rejected until this week.
Many Taiwanese see the move as a warning by Beijing to Tsai, as the resumption has occurred during the power transition in Taiwan, with Tsai to take office on May 20.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lu Kang (陸慷) said at a press conference in Beijing on Thursday that the timing of the resumption of diplomatic ties between China and the Gambia was agreed upon by the two sides following consultation.
“The restoration of diplomatic ties between China and the Gambia targets no one... There is no change to our position on promoting peaceful development of cross-strait relations,” Lu said.
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