TAIPEI, Taiwan — President Chen Shui-bian said Monday that he will visit Taiwan's allies in Central America and Africa next month in his first diplomatic offensive since taking office — a trip certain to annoy China. The two-week trip, beginning Aug. 13, will take Chen to the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Gambia, Burkina Faso and Chad Republic, which are among Taiwan's 29 diplomatic allies. Chen's trip will start with a low-key visit to Los Angeles. ''Diplomacy will symbolize and highlight our sovereignty,'' Chen said. China considers Taiwan a part of its territory and not entitled to its own foreign relations. The rival governments have been involved in a tug of war, using foreign aid and investment to lure away each other's diplomatic allies. Culled from USATODAY ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------