BANJUL, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- The government of the Republic of The Gambia fully endorses the one China policy and recognizes that there is only one China in the world, the Gambian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday in a press statement.
The Gambian government reaffirms "its respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People's Republic of China," said the press statement.
The Government of The Gambia recognizes "the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal Government representing the whole of China, with Taiwan as an inherent part of China's territory," it said.
"The Gambia Government undertakes not to establish any official relations or engage in any official contacts with Taiwan," it stressed.
"The friendly bilateral relations that so happily exist between the Government of the Republic of The Gambia and the Government of the People's Republic of China is built on the values of mutual respect, trust and fruitful cooperation," the ministry said in the statement.
The Government of The Gambia expresses "its deep appreciation" to President Xi Jinping for "standing by the people of The Gambia during the recent political impasse and for sending a high level delegation to the 52nd Independence Anniversary and Inauguration of President Adama Barrow."
Barrow replaced Yahya Jammeh, who ruled the country for 22 years with an iron-fist and was forced by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to leave the country after he rejected the polls in December.
A special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the inauguration ceremony of Gambian President Adama Barrow and Gambia's independence day celebration in Banjul on Feb. 18.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Gambian counterpart Neneh MacDouall-Gaye signed on March 17 last year a joint communique in Beijing to resume diplomatic relations.
