TAIPEI – Taiwan needs to protect its international space
as its diplomatic position is precarious, president-elect Tsai Ing-wen said on
Friday after China resumed ties with former Taiwan ally Gambia and anger
mounted in the self-ruled island at the move.

The small West African state was one of only a few African
countries, along with Burkina Faso, Swaziland and São Tomé and Príncipe, to
recognise self-ruled Taiwan, which China regards as a wayward province to be
recovered by force if necessary.

China and Taiwan have for years tried to poach each
other’s allies, often dangling generous aid packages in front of leaders of
developing nations.

But they began an unofficial diplomatic truce after
signing a series of landmark trade and economic agreements in 2008 after the
election of the China-friendly Ma Ying-jeou as Taiwan’s president, as Beijing
tried to convince Taiwan of its friendly intentions after decades of hostility
and suspicion.

That truce is now over, following January’s landslide
election of Tsai and her pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
China has repeatedly warned her against any moves towards independence.

In comments released via a spokesman, Tsai said China and
Taiwan did not need to do anything to harm each other’s feelings.

“(I) hope the establishment of ties with Gambia is
not a targeted move,” Tsai said.

“At present Taiwan’s diplomatic situation is not
optimistic, and needs everyone to unite together to face up to it, to
consistently protect our international space.”

Senior Taiwanese lawmakers lined up to criticise China,
including from the China-friendly Nationalists.

“It has seriously hurt the feelings of the Taiwan
people,” said Nationalist Party lawmaker Chiang Chi-chen, a member of
parliament’s defence and foreign affairs committee.

DPP lawmaker Lo Chih-cheng said Tsai had pledged to
maintain the status quo with China and that she would not take provocative
actions.

“But very regretful, before her inauguration, China
with its unilateral action has changed the status quo across the Taiwan
Strait,” Lo said.

Tsai assumes office in May.

While Gambia severed relations with Taiwan in November
2013, causing anger in Taipei, China had held off establishing formal ties with
it until now.

Influential state-run Chinese tabloid the Global Times
said it did not believe the decision represented a collapse of the diplomatic
truce, but accused Taiwan of “making trouble”.

“DPP leader Tsai Ing-wen should act more positively
to address the growing uncertainties,” it said in an editorial.

Gambia had recognised China, officially known as the
People’s Republic of China, from 1974 to 1995, before switching to Taiwan, officially
known as the Republic of China.

Other countries with diplomatic ties with Taiwan include
the tiny Pacific island states of Nauru and Palau, as well as Vatican City,
Paraguay, Panama, Haiti and Nicaragua.

– Reuters