As only the second ever non-African head of state to visit Chad, Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was given on Wednesday evening in its capital, N'Djamena, the most elaborate welcome of his six-country tour.
Chad had even, to Chen's surprise, named a 10km road running from the capital to the bridge across the Chari River, "Avenue Chen Shui-bian," as a token of its gratitude for Taiwan's assistance in improving its communications system. On seeing the road sign, Chen proposed that it be changed to "Avenue ROC." Eventually "Taiwan Avenue" was agreed upon.
Chad will also name the bridge for whose construction Taiwan donated US$20 million, "Taiwan Bridge." Chad is the last stop on Chen's first presidential foreign visit, which has included three countries in Central America and three in west Africa.
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
Thousands of people crowded the streets from the airport to Chad's presidential mansion to welcome Chen.
Members of the crowd, estimated by the delegation to be even larger than that which turned out to welcome the president in the Gambian capital Banjul, brandished national flags and banners of both countries, chanted words of welcome, and sang and danced to celebrate Chen's arrival.
Accompanying Chad's President Idriss Deby, Chen stood in a stretch limousine, leading a thirty-car motorcade, and waved to the crowds.
Posters of Deby and of Chen, the latter provided by Taiwan's embassy, bedecked walls, trees, and the doors of houses seemingly ubiquitously.
According to officials from Taiwan's embassy, the Chad government ordered the cleaning of all major streets in the capital a week ago and the national television channel repeatedly broadcast popular Taiwanese music and broadcast details of Chen's life.
Taiwan's Ambassador, Chiu Chung-jen (邱仲仁), said that the government had granted half a day's holiday for the occasion.
The first non-African head of state to visit Chad was former French president, Charles De Gaulle, who visited in the 1960s as head of the country's former colonial master. Chad declared independence from France in 1960.
Deby expressed a hearty welcome while meeting with Chen, saying the assistance of the Republic of China over the past three years had improved Chad's development "efficiently."
"Not only in agricultural development and highway construction but also in culture, politics, health and economics we have accomplished much," Deby told Chen. Deby pointed out that Taiwan-Chad relations stretched as far back as the 1960s.
Chad first established ties with Taiwan in 1962 but opened its door to the People's Republic of China in 1972, prompting Taiwan to immediately sever diplomatic relations.
The two countries re-established diplomatic relations in 1997 following the granting by Taiwan of substantial financial aid to Chad in the 1990s.
Ambassador Chiu said that since the World Development Bank approved a project allowing Chad to drill for oil in July this year, the nation would receive US$2 billion per year once requisite construction work had been completed in four years' time.
Chiu, however, said that oil revenues would only be likely to last 25 years.
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
MEET AND GREET: The White House, which called the interaction ‘just a handshake,’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Biden planned to visit Taiwan’s envoy to the APEC summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), on Friday invited US President Joe Biden to visit Taiwan. During the APEC Leaders’ Informal Dialogue, Lin, who represented President William Lai (賴清德) at the summit, spoke with Biden and expressed gratitude to the outgoing US president for his contribution to improving bilateral ties between Taipei and Washington over the past four years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Lin and Biden exchanged views during the conversation, with Lin extending an invitation to Biden to visit Taiwan, it said. Biden is to step down in January next year, when US president-elect Donald Trump is
RSS