DATELINE: TAIPEI, July 13

BODY:
Taiwan has re-established diplomatic ties with the west African nation of Gambia after a 21-year hiatus, the government announced. The move is part of Taiwan's efforts to gain more international recognition despite objections from Beijing, which considers Taiwan a renegade province.  A special envoy from the Gambian Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, Ebou Jallow, and Taiwan Foreign Minister Fredrick Chien signed an agreement Thursday to exchange embassies at ''an appropriate time,'' the China Times reported. Gambia established diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1968 but in 1974 switched recognition to Beijing. No reason was given for the change back to Taipei. The agreement brings to 30 the number of countries that recognize Taipei rather than Beijing as the sole legal government of all of China. Gambia is the ninth African nation to recognize the Republic of China (Taiwan). Taiwan and China have been political rivals since civil war split them in 1949 but civilian ties,
 including more than $22 billion in annual trade between the two Chinas have been strong. Taiwan's success in lobbying Congress to pressure the Clinton administration to allow President Lee Teng-hui to visit his alma mater, Cornell University, in June angered Beijing and sent Sino-U.S. relations into a downward spiral. Beijing said Lee's visit violated Washington's sole recognition of Beijing as the government of China. As a result of the Lee visit to the United States, Beijing also called off a series of scheduled semi-officials talks with Taiwan regarding civilian issues such as fishing disputes and trade. Taiwan has urged China to continue the talks.



---------------------------------
Yahoo! for Good
 Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤