Gambian President Yahya Jammeh pledged allegiance to the "Republic of Taiwan" during a military honor guard ceremony held to welcome him to Taipei yesterday.
This is Jammeh's seventh visit to Taiwan, his fifth as head of state. He said the hospitality extended to him and his delegation was a clear reflection of genuine friendship between the two countries.
"Taiwan is, to us, like our home and away from home," he said. "[My visit] is another clear indication of the excellent bonds of friendship and cooperation that have been the hallmark of our relations."
PHOTO: CNA
Jammeh said he was convinced that the strong ties between Gambia and Taiwan are based on common values, shared interests and sentiments of human solidarity and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Saying he was deeply frustrated by the UN's continued rejection of Taiwan's application to become a member of the world body, Jammeh said that the UN's move was a gross violation of the basic principles of universality, equity and justice.
"There is no justification, therefore, for the continued sidelining of Taiwan in the United Nations," he said. "As a result, we will never relent in our efforts to press the legitimate case of your great country to ensure that the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 is reviewed and the Republic of Taiwan is admitted into the United Nations as a full-fledged member."
The welcoming ceremony was briefly marred by an old man cursing outside the restricted area in front of the Presidential Office.
He was quickly escorted away by security guards.
During a meeting inside the Presidential Office after the honor guard ceremony, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) told Jammeh that he was touched by his remarks and hoped that the Gambian leader could visit Taiwan every year.
Chen said his association with Gambia went back many years. Taipei and Banjul became sister cities in 1997 when he was Taipei mayor and Gambia is the first African country he visited after he took office in 2000.
Chen held a state banquet for Jammeh at Taipei 101 last night and will accompany him on a trip to Taichung today on the High-Speed Rail.
Taiwan would benefit from more integrated military strategies and deployments if the US and its allies treat the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea as a “single theater of operations,” a Taiwanese military expert said yesterday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said he made the assessment after two Japanese military experts warned of emerging threats from China based on a drill conducted this month by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command. Japan Institute for National Fundamentals researcher Maki Nakagawa said the drill differed from the
‘WORSE THAN COMMUNISTS’: President William Lai has cracked down on his political enemies and has attempted to exterminate all opposition forces, the chairman said The legislature would motion for a presidential recall after May 20, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday at a protest themed “against green communists and dictatorship” in Taipei. Taiwan is supposed to be a peaceful homeland where people are united, but President William Lai (賴清德) has been polarizing and tearing apart society since his inauguration, Chu said. Lai must show his commitment to his job, otherwise a referendum could be initiated to recall him, he said. Democracy means the rule of the people, not the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but Lai has failed to fulfill his
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
A rally held by opposition parties yesterday demonstrates that Taiwan is a democratic country, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that if opposition parties really want to fight dictatorship, they should fight it on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) held a protest with the theme “against green communists and dictatorship,” and was joined by the Taiwan People’s Party. Lai said the opposition parties are against what they called the “green communists,” but do not fight against the “Chinese communists,” adding that if they really want to fight dictatorship, they should go to the right place and face