China
and The Gambia resumed diplomatic ties this year with both nations establishing
embassies in each other’s country with effect March this year.
Although
we as a nation went round through the sea of Taiwan - before arriving at the
sea of China, we have, at this short space of our ties, started seeing the good
of it, as the relationship has started bearing fruits.
For
instance, since 2015 when China-Africa Cooperation was lifted to a new height
at the successful Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation
(FOCAC), President Xi Jinping announced that China would implement ten
cooperation plans with Africa in the next three years, and would provide US$60
billion financial support accordingly.
The
Gambia is very well captured in the FOCAC family, which means we are blessed to
benefit from the fruitful China-Africa renewed ties.
Indeed,
just in about seven months since the China-Gambia ties were renewed we have
started seeing the good impacts of it.
This
is confirmed by the recent statement of the Chinese Ambassador to The Gambia at
the celebrations, on 29 September, marking China’s 67th Independence
Anniversary in Banjul.
The
Chinese Ambassador said: “China-Gambia bilateral relations now enjoy a dynamic
momentum of development. Our mutual understanding is deepening, our economic
and commercial cooperation is expanding, our people-to-people exchanges are
lively, our coordination and cooperation on international and regional issues is
strong.
“A
lot have been achieved in just six months. We have agreed to launch an
International Conference Center project as the flagship of our cooperation
priorities.
“The
first group of Gambian students on Chinese Government Scholarships has started
their study in China. Nanning city and Banjul have renewed their sister links
and carried out the exchange of visits. And there are more being worked out and
implemented which I believe will soon come to fruition for the benefit of our
two countries and peoples.”
The
Trade Minister, speaking on behalf of the Gambia Government at the occasion,
said: “I would not hesitate to emphasise that the recent resumption of
Diplomatic ties between the People’s Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of
The Gambia is not a coincidence, rather the decisions made by our two
leaders in this respect were based on common and shared values underpinned by the principles of mutual trust
and respect, as well as a common
sense of purpose to consolidate our
bilateral cooperation for the advancement of the welfare of the peoples of our
two countries… we are recently witnessing several developments and milestones
in our efforts to further consolidate
the friendly ties between the two countries.”
These
statements by these key officials of both nations and what has been seen taking
place over the last six months between the two nations mean a lot as the
message speaks for itself and gives clear signs that there is more to be
derived from the Gambia-China ties.
“In
the field of world policy I would dedicate this nation to the policy of the
good neighbour.”
Franklin
D. Roosevelt
