De Menezes said that his country recognized China when Sao Tome and Principe declared independence in 1975 and received a lot of pressure from Beijing when the west African nation switched diplomatic recognition to Taiwan in 1997.
"I pledge my total loyalty to Taiwan," de Menezes said. "I know President Chen's mandate will soon come to an end, but let's make the best use of the time and work for the best of the two countries and their people."
Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore said that his nation is opening its doors even wider for Taiwan as Taiwanese tourists no longer need visas to visit.
Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika outlined six priorities during his opening speech, encouraging Taiwanese to invest in the southern African country.
"Investment in Malawi is lucrative," he said. "We provide three times the returns you get in the United States."
RSS