Comment on Diplomatic Recognition Truce between Beijing and Taipei

Since 2008, Beijing and Taipei have had an informal truce on the issue of diplomatic recognition by other countries.  About 20 countries globally still recognize Taiwan.  Until last month when Gambia broke diplomatic relations with Taiwan, four countries in Africa recognized Taiwan; now it is three.  It is intriguing, however, that Gambia and China have not established diplomatic relations in the wake of the break with Taiwan.

In a recent interview with Liberty Times (the sister paper of the Taipei Times), Academia Sinica research fellow Lin Cheng-yi commented on the state of the informal truce between China and Taiwan, especially the impact on it by Gambia's break in relations with Taiwan.  The interview appeared on 1 December 2013 in a piece titled "Ma Shares Blame for Split with the Gambia."