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Taiwan celebrates Senegal's strong showing in World Cup

Updated: Monday June 24, 2002 08:46 a.m. ET


TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- Signing autographs and dribbling soccer balls,
Senegal's World Cup team endured the blistering sun Monday and performed
for fans in Taiwan, one of the small West African nation's most important
allies.

The players' brief appearance at a ceremony in their honor in the capital
city was part of a two-day stopover in Taiwan before they head home. Senegal's
surprising run in its first World Cup ended Saturday in Osaka, Japan with a
1-0 loss to Turkey in the quarterfinals.

Taiwan celebrated Senegal's success at a soccer stadium, where aborigines
danced on the field and martial arts masters dressed in white displayed
their slow-motion moves. A small group of players signed balls and showed
off their soccer skills, kicking and heading a ball back and forth in front
of the crowd of about 2,500.

Before the players went to the stadium, they met President Chen Shui-bian,
who said he cheered for them throughout the tournament. Some players wore
T-shirts and sneakers in the presidential office, and one walked on the red
carpet in flip-flops.

"Senegal's success shows that all you need is strong effort, and you can
also use your two feet to kick yourself into the ranks of the world's
sporting powers," Chen told the players.

Senegal upset defending champion France in the opener before tying Denmark
and Uruguay, then beat Sweden in the second round.

Later this week, Chen plans to tour Senegal and three other diplomatic
allies in Africa. The president plans to hand out hundreds of soccer balls
in the impoverished nation.

Most of the world's major nations don't have official relations with Taiwan
because politically powerful China insists the self-ruled, democratic island
is part of its territory.

To keep itself from being completely isolated diplomatically, the island
engages in what critics call "checkbook diplomacy" _ offering generous aid
packages and other incentives to poor, developing nations in exchange for
official relations.

Only 28 nations recognize Taiwan's government, and most are in Africa and
Latin America.

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)



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