James CF Huang, Foreign Minister of Taiwan, has confirmed Taipei’s desire to explore The Gambia’s investment prospects.

Minister Huang made these remarks yesterday during a press conference at the Sheraton Gambia Hotel in Brufut, shortly after his return from Kanilai, where he and his 15 member delegation were received by President Yahya Jammeh.

Minister Huang, who arrived in the country last Sunday as the special envoy of President Chen of Taiwan, told journalists that most of the Taiwanese investors in Africa have been attracted Southern Africa because of the historical ties. He said The Gambia has comparative advantage based on its geographical location and the Agoa programme. He then assured that they will encourage Taiwanese investors to explore opportunities in Banjul to export products to international markets.

Cooperations

Minister Huang who left for Burkina Faso yesterday, lauded the bilateral co-operations in the areas of agriculture, horticulture, vocational training, infrastructure, education and health, adding other areas would be explored to enhance cooperation, especially in information education. He observed that the world is entering the era of globalisation, noting that it’s important for The Gambia to prepare for the digital opportunities which is central in globalism. He expressed delight with President Jammeh’s vision of transforming The Gambia into a modernised state, observing that the Gambian leader should be supported in this drive.

Noting Taiwan believes in investing in human resource, Mr Huang said this was why Gambians are being given the opportunity to study in Taipei. He said about 43 Gambians have been pursuing various programmes in Taiwan, adding that the second batch of Gambian students will soon leave for Taipei to undertake programme in ICT.
He told journalists that the Gambia-Taiwan co-operations have been designed to suit the needs of Gambian people and the challenging environment.

The strain

The diplomatic warfare between China and Taiwan continues to be at the centre of world’s attention, with China mounting its military build-up as exemplified in the deployment of 1,000 missiles pointing at Taiwan. The diplomatic oppression against the 23 million people of Taiwan at the international arena has intensified, and this has made Taipei’s quest for membership to the UN, WHO and other international bodies difficult, because the Main Land failed to accept Taiwan as a sovereign state. The situation can no longer be viewed as a triviality.

Commenting on the issue, Minister Huang said it is not Taipei’s wish to engage in this diplomatic tussle, saying “our foreign policy is not to fight but to make friends, share experiences, and help each other. But it is China’s foreign policy to suffocate the people of Taiwan”.

He described China as an authoritarian state that disregards humanity. He said Beijing’s interest in Africa is to grab as much valuable resources of the continent as possible while exporting “cheap” industrial products to African economies. On the contrast, Minister Huang described The Gambia as the best testimony of Taiwan’s foreign policy for African countries. He said Taiwan has the eighteenth largest economy and ranks as sixteenth largest trading economy and has the second largest ICT market in the world.

‘Apartheid’

 He acknowledged the challenges faltering Taiwan’s cause for a diplomatic triumph in the face of China opposition. He then elaborated: “When it comes to vote, we will be outnumbered. But what is important is to make a case in the UN. It is a status we deserve,” he said, adding that this will show to the world that the political “apartheid” being instituted against Taiwan is unfair. “If the apartheid in South Africa was wrong, then the political apartheid against Taiwan is wrong,” he stressed.

However, he maintained that it is the fundamental rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan to have membership to the UN, WHO, and other related bodies. He asserted that the exclusion of Taiwan does not conform to the principles of the UN Charter.
He told journalists that 90 per cent of Taiwanese against the “one state, two systems” for Taiwan as in the case with China and Hong Kong. He added that 60 per cent of the opinion poll in Taiwan was in favour of applying for the UN membership using the name Taiwan.
“Referendum is part of the democratic mechanism. So it is up to the people to decide whether they want to go for a referendum to on the issue of applying for the UN membership under the name Taiwan,” he noted.

The Taiwanese Foreign Minister James CF Huang slammed China’s military build-up, saying the deployment of 1,000 missiles pointing towards Taiwan is a threat to peace and security in East Asia.