President Fernandez has returned to his original scheduled plan for a three day visit to Taiwan, and news reports indicate he is staying at the Gran Hotel Taipei. This is the first time a Dominican President visits Asia. His trip to Taiwan is a mid-stop of the 12-day tour that has taken him to Washington, D.C., New York City, Boston, Taipei, Taiwan and then to San Francisco, California and St. Louis, Missouri. He traveled from New York City to Anchorage arriving to Taipei on a China Airlines flight from Anchorage, Alaska. He was received at the airport by Taiwanese Minister of Foreign Relations Jason Hu. He will be officially received by President Lee Teng-Hui today at the Plaza Chiang Kaishek at 3 pm. An hour later, the heads of state will exchange decorations at the government seat. In the evening, President Fernández will be guest of honor at a dinner hosted by the Taiwan President. On Tuesday, President Fernandez is scheduled to visit Hshinsu Industrial Scientific Park, which was considerably affected by the series of earthquakes that have shaken Taiwan. There he is set to visit the plants of Acer, Grand Biotechnology and the technology research firm, Avison Incorporated. On Wednesday, President Fernandez will give a closing talk at the 9 to 2 pm investment seminar to which over 100 Taiwan and DR businessmen have been invited. President Fernández is also scheduled to visit the National Museum of the presidential palace, where news reports say there are 600,000 Chinese works of art. In Taiwan, he is scheduled to sign three cooperation agreements with the government. President Fernandez is traveling with Minister of Education Ligia Amada Melo; Technical Secretary of the Presidency, Temístocles Montás; Minister of Agriculture Almicar Romero, Minister of Foreign Relations, Eduardo Latorre and Minister of Sports Juan Marichal. News reports have said the President and cabinet ministers are guests of the Taiwan government. Also accompanying the President are businessmen Fernando Capellan, president of the Association of Free Zones of the DR; Elena Villeya de Paliza, vice president of the National Council of Private Enterprise (CONEP); Eddy Martinez, director of the foreign investment office (OPI), and Gabriel Castro, executive director of the National Council of Free Zones. Others traveling with the chief of state are Miguel Rosado of the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (the state university); Monsignor Agripino Nuñez Collado of the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra; and Rafael Toribio, rector of the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo. The purpose of the visit is to promote Dominican investments in Taiwan as well as seek support for the development of a high tech park in the DR. The visit is also a statement of support to the Taiwan government from the Dominican Republic, regarding claims from China that Taiwan is but a renegade province. President Fernández is scheduled to fly from Taipei to San Francisco, California on Wednesday, 29 September for meetings with Silicon Valley high tech industry executives. He has appointments scheduled to visit Redwood Shores Industrial Park, AT&T Labs and Forbes Magazine. He will also make stops at Stanford University, Hoover Institution, American Electronic Association, Livermore Labs. In San Francisco, President Fernández will be honored at the Candlestick Stadium, home of the San Francisco Giants. This will take place during the last game (Dodgers and Giants) held at the historic stadium that will soon be demolished. Minister of Sports Juan Marichal, member of the US Hall of Fame, will be honored at that event. The event is organized by Manuel Mota, coach of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and players Raúl Mondesí, Adrián Beltré, José Vizcaíno, and Robinson Pérez Checo. On 3 October, President Fernández will be present at the last game of the regular Major League season between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals in St. Louis, Missouri. His presence is a token of solidarity on behalf of Dominicans to Sammy Sosa, who has written baseball history. In the game Sosa hit his 60th home run he raised a sign where he expressed his pride in being from the Dominican Republic. News reports say that President Bill Clinton may also be present at that game. President Fernández is scheduled to return to Santo Domingo on 4 October 1999.
