Taipei, July 4 (CNA) Republic of China President Chen Shui-bian and his Senegalese counterpart Abdoulaye Wade signed a joint communique Wednesday reaffirming their determination to further step up bilateral friendly and cooperative relations based on existing foundations.
Before the signing ceremony held at the Presidential Office, the two heads of state exchanged views on the current international situation, Taipei-Dakar cooperative ties and other issues of mutual concern.
Chen said in the communique that the ROC will make "active" contributions to help uphold political and economic stability in the Asia-Pacific region, while Wade voiced his country's full support of the ROC's insistence that cross-Taiwan Strait problems be peacefully resolved through bilateral dialogue.
Touching on African affairs, the two heads of state stressed that democracy is not only essential to national stability and regional development, but also an ideal political system capable of safeguarding the rule of law and human rights.
Chen and Wade therefore called on the international community to help African countries move toward democracy under the principle of respecting the sovereignty of all countries around the world.
The two presidents voiced their concern that Africa will be marginalized in the process of globalization and called for the international community to build a "fair world economic order" by attaching great importance to African interests.
Chen reiterated that the ROC government will render its support to and participate in the "OMEGA project" initiated by Wade to help boost Africa's economic development.
Chen also said he hopes that the five-year ROC-Senegal cooperation accord signed late last year will be carried out smoothly to speed up the West African diplomatic ally's social and economic progress.
For his part, Wade reaffirmed that his country will continue to support the ROC's bids to join the United Nations and other international organizations.
After signing the communique, Wade and his entourage bade farewell to Chen, who presided over a grand ceremony with full military honors at the National Concert Hall as a parting gesture at the end of Wade's five-day state visit.