Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso said yesterday that the DR would choose where its interests are best represented, when commenting on the visit of a mission from the People’s Republic of China to the DR. He commented that Taiwan itself is the leading investor in mainland China, as reported in Hoy newspaper.
In an interview with Diario Libre, Tomas Chen, press officer for the Taiwanese embassy in the DR, was asked about the future of DR-Taiwan relations now that it is apparent that the People’s Republic of China is courting the Dominican government. The DR has traditionally voted in favor of Taiwan in international forums. Chen said that President Leonel Fernandez is receiving the Chinese delegation in his capacity of president of the PLD political party, thus it is but “an exchange of political parties.”
He highlighted that during the first semester of 2004, Taiwan imported US$450.7 million from the DR and exported more than US$100 million. He said Taiwan imported primarily medical instruments, apparel, coffee, cigars, scrap iron and aluminum worth US$7.2 million. He went on to say that there are around 70 Taiwan manufacturing plants in Dominican free zones, with over 3,500 employees. He also highlighted that Taiwan is a strong provider of aid. Chen added that Taiwanese technicians have helped Dominicans to improve rice production, bamboo plantations, as well as in developing community farm produce projects.
A delegation from the People’s Republic of China, headed by Cai Wu, deputy minister of the International Liaison Department, and including Wang Yilin, deputy director of the Latin American Affairs Department, is visiting the DR this week. The group met with President Fernandez and leaders of the PLD, PRD and PRSC political parties. The group is visiting at the invitation of the PLD party.
Foreign Relations Minister Morales Troncoso said that China is a reality in today’s world, which has made large investments in Latin America and seeks to make more. He mentioned that Chinese companies already have investments in the DR, and mentioned the cement factory in San Cristobal, and Minmetal, which is in the final stages of negotiating for the purchase of the Canadian Falconbridge ferronickel mine in Bonao.
He mentioned that the Free Trade Agreement could serve as an encouragement for the People’s Republic of China to want to increase its investments in the DR. He said that China is part of the G-20, the alliance of leading economic powers headed by Brazil, India, China and South Africa. He said that this alliance should be influential when DR decides on its diplomatic ties. Nevertheless, he maintained that the solidarity that Taiwan has always provided should also be taken into consideration. Morales said that the decision of whether the DR should form diplomatic relations with China is to be made by President Leonel Fernandez himself.