President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) departed for Africa last night, stressing Taiwan's role in the international community in helping its allies address food shortages and health problems.
Chen and his 110-member delegation will visit diplomatic allies Senegal, Sao Tome and Principe, Malawi and Swaziland on the 10-day trip.
The purpose of the visit is "to let the international community know that Taiwan sincerely wants to help African nations resolve their medical and food problems," Chen said yesterday at CKS International Airport before his departure.
The president said that Taiwan should not only stress its democratic achievements on the world stage, but also use its economic power in a policy of "multifaceted diplomacy."
"This is why I constantly emphasize the idea that Taiwan must stand up," Chen said. "Taiwan must step out."
The president said Taiwan should use its considerable experience in agriculture, medicine, infrastructure development and AIDS prevention to help its African allies in what he called "humanitarian diplomacy." He also said this was Taiwan's responsibility as a member of the international community.
"We will not discriminate against our diplomatic allies because of differences in economic strength," Chen said. "The strong performances of Taiwan's allies Costa Rica, Paraguay and Senegal in the World Cup is proof that if you work hard, even if your country is small, ambition is enough to make great achievements."
This is Chen's third international tour since coming to power in May 2000.
Chen's China Airlines flight departed Taiwan last night and will fly directly to Africa, with an undisclosed stop in the Middle East to refuel. He is expected to arrive in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, today.
Chen is then scheduled to fly to Sao Tome and Principe on Wednesday, and then depart for Malawi on Friday. His last stop will be in Swaziland on July 7.
"There are no arrangements for stopovers at any point along the trip," James Huang (黃志芳), Presidential Office spokesman, said yesterday. "President Chen and the delegation will leave Africa on July 9 and return to Taiwan on the morning of July 10."
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The president also hopes to gain a better understanding of the famine and AIDS epidemic that afflicts southern Africa in particular, looking into ways to provide food and medical support.
"President Chen's visit to Latin America last year was primarily to attend a summit of senior leaders of Taiwan and its Central American allies, but the arrangements of various stopovers also constituted a diplomatic breakthrough," Wu said.
"On this visit, his purpose is to show the international community Taiwan's sincerity in providing support and cooperation in the medical field," Wu said.
Wu noted that with growing concerns over worldwide economic disparity and worries expressed recently by G8 nations over the famine and AIDS epidemic afflicting southern Africa, Chen hopes to use his actions to set an example for the international community.
"This is especially the case because Taiwan is under so much diplomatic pressure from China, and we worry that our allies in the third world will be swallowed up by China," Wu said.
"Actually, Taiwan should steer clear from this sort of sovereignty battle with its zero-sum competition and turn toward humanitarian and international cooperation, taking an active part in helping developing world countries resolve their problems."
Huang said that during Chen's official meeting with Senegal's president, he would discuss the outstanding performance of the Senegalese team in the World Cup. The president also plans to visit Slave Island.
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