By Alhagie Mbye. The Independent (Banjul). Africa News Online. June 30, 2000
Banjul - The Ambassador of the Republic of China to The Gambia, Chen-hsiung Lee, has told The Independent that the Republic of China is responsible for the salaries of the Cuban doctors operating in The Gambia.
In an exclusive interview with The Independent, Ambassador Lee revealed that the US $400,000 given to the Gambia Government by the ROC to finance the health sector includes the salaries of the Cuban doctors. He added that the same money is also used to sponsor their training and buy equipment
for them.
This, he said, is among various areas of assistance given to the Gambia Government by the Government of the ROC. He said that apart from that, the ROC is also supporting other national projects such as the agricultural sector, road maintenance and others, which assistance he said, is also
channeled through the department of state for Finance.
On ROC's sour relationships with mainland China, Ambassador Lee said the ROC is fully capable of defending its territory and repel any external aggression. He said the ROC is a sovereign state created and formed in 1912. He said he wanted to remind the international community and mainland China
that the ROC has had its own flag since 1912 and a constitution in 1945. He stressed that the ROC has enough troops both land, sea and air power to repel any external attack. He warned that if any attack takes place, mankind would suffer heavy losses and that both governments are fully aware of
that. 'No one dares to fire the first shot as the security and peace of the entire region would also be affected and that would also provoke the international community,' he added.
He also revealed that ROC has been assisting the Gambia government since the transition days when according to him, many countries suspended their support to the country. It was necessary he said, to support The Gambia in order to carry on the development projects and to stabilise the Dalasi. He
however stressed that he was not aware of the US $35 million Taiwan grant allegedly transferred into Swiss bank accounts by President Jammeh.
Ambassador Lee called for hard work and dedication for economic development, revealing that his country exports US $450 million daily and that total export for year 2000 would be US $140 billion. He added that ROC also imports US $130 billion with a per capita income US$ 14,000 compared to
mainland China's US$ 800 per capita income. He said ROC's foreign reserve now stands at US $115 billion, being third in the world with zero foreign debt.
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