Journal of International Studies

Last week The Gambia decided to cut ties with Taiwan. The implications could be significant. Image Credit: flickr/alveaux An air of uncertainty descended upon Taipei on November 14 when he tricolor Gambian flag was pulled down at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hours after rumors had emerged that Banjul had unilaterally severed ties with Taiwan. By day’s end, it was confirmed that Gambian President Yahya Jammeh had made the move to end nearly eighteen years of diplomatic relations. Taiwan  reciprocated  on November 18, leaving it with only three allies on the African continent, and 22 worldwide. The setback — this was Taipei’s first loss of a diplomatic ally since Malawi cut ties in January 2008 and established relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) — immediately gave rise to speculation in Taipei as to whether the so-called  “diplomatic truce”  established between presidents Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan and Hu Jintao in China had come to an...

The Gambia rejecting Taiwan in favor of China is not surprising given the economic benefits of such a move.

Taiwan closely resembles many other middle power economies around the world. It possesses a thriving economy, a cosmopolitan citizenry and an intelligent workforce. It is also a sizeable member of the international community; its population is greater than two-thirds of the world's other nations and it contributes significantly to global GDP. Despite this, Taiwan is refused the right to gain representation and participate in some of the world's most important international forums.  A number of important episodes have played out this year which suggest that it may be disadvantageous for the international community to exclude Taiwan from involvement in key regional and global organizations.  The International Civil Aviation Organization Taiwan is currently unable to formally join the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), despite million of travellers entering Taiwanese airspace each year. The Taiwanese government has been campaigning for full in...