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Taiwan's premier in talks with Gambian leader
2006-12-16
Taiwan's Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang held talks with President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia amid a diplomatic struggle with rival China. Su said he travelled to Gambia, the smallest country on mainland Africa, to "extend a message of goodwill and congratulations" on Jammeh's re-election for a third term in September polls. "It is a message from the Taiwanese government and the 23 million people of Taiwan," he said hours after he witnessed the inauguration of Jammeh for a third term. Gambia is one of five African countries in a group of 24 nations recognising Taipei's status as a separate entity from mainland China. The impoverished continent is a diplomatic battleground for Taipei and Beijing, who have accused each other of using money to lure the other's allies under so-called "chequebook diplomacy." Su said their meeting noted "progress" made by Jammeh during his 12 year tenure. "My government is very proud to be associated with this development," he told journalists after talks with Jammeh. On Thursday he gave a 30,000 dollar donation towards Gambia's anti-AIDS programmes. Jammeh has been invited to attend Taiwan's first summit, set for early next year, with the leaders of its African allies. Observers said the planned summit was apparently designed as a countermeasure to rival China's intensified diplomatic offensive in Africa. China regards Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, if necessary by force, following a civil war which split them in 1949.
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