Banjul, Gambia, Dec. 21 (CNA) Republic of China Vice President Annette Lu, on behalf of President Chen Shui-bian, attended the inauguration of reelected Gambian President Yahya Jammeh Friday held at an open-air gymnasium in the Gambian capital of Banjul.
More than 20,000 people attended the inauguration, including several heads of state from neighboring African countries and many special envoys from other countries.
In his inaugural speech, Jammeh vowed to continue to promote constitutional democracy in Gambia, manage the nation based on the principles of justice, transparency and humanitarianism, and lead Gambia to become a modernized nation that respects the rule of law, religious freedom and human rights.
President Chen offered his personal felicitations to Jammeh on Oct. 22 upon the reelection of the Gambian Presdient, who garnered an overwhelming 52.96 percent of the vote in the country's November presidential election.
To mark Jammeh's reelection and the unique way of voting in Gambia, namely the use of marbles as ballots, Lu presented Jammeh with a box of 1.5 million marbles as a gift. Lu said that Gambia's use of marbles to vote reflects "fairness and transparency" as well as democratic ways which she said should be emulated by other African countries.
Lu, at the head of a special ROC diplomatic delegation, flew via Paris into Gambia Thursday, receiving a red-carpet welcome by the Gambian government upon arrival.
She and her entourage, which includes Vice Foreign Affairs Minister Chiu Jong-nan, are scheduled to leave Gambia Saturday for Taiwan, making a one-day stopover in Vienna and a transit stop at the Paris international airport enroute.