President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh on Wednesday voiced his support for Taiwan's bid to secure United Nations membership as he visited the Asian-Pacific island state.
 
"Gambia speaks out for Taiwan, which has been excluded from the UN as the 23 million Taiwanese people deserve to be recognised as a formal member of the UN," the French News Agency (AFP) quoted the Gambian leader as saying.
  
Taiwan, under its official name the Republic of China, lost its UN seat to China in 1971. Its efforts to rejoin the UN using its official title have been repeatedly blocked by rival Beijing and an application this year using the name Taiwan also failed.
 
However, President Jammeh pledged to maintain ties with the diplomatically isolated Taiwan. "Gambia will never betray Taiwan because humanitarian spirits are more important than financial aids ... Gambia is a country with dignity and it will keep its promise not to abandon Taiwan," he said.

According to reports by the state media, GRTS, President Jammeh, who arrived in Taipei after a 20-hour long flight, had a meeting with the Taiwanese Foreign Minister, James CF Huang, during which he affirmed the premium attached to Banjul-Taipei cooperation.

The president thanked Taiwan for its support to The Gambia's development efforts.

The Gambian leader also reportedly met the community of Gambian students in Taipei. He implored them to be good ambassadors of The Gambia, reminding them to be prepared to serve their country at the end of their studies.
 
The Gambia is one of five African countries in a group of 24 nations that formally recognise Taipei over Beijing.
 
Africa is a diplomatic battleground for Taipei and Beijing. Taipei lashed out at Beijing for using money to lure its African allies under the so-called "cheque book diplomacy" system.
 
China regards Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, despite their split in 1949 after a civil war.