New Taiwanese ambassador in the DR Tomas Ping Fu Hou says the Dominican Republic could benefit indirectly once Taiwanese citizens receive the expected entry into the USA Visa Waiver Program. In an interview with El Caribe, he said that the DR could receive more Taiwanese tourists once Taiwan enters the program that would allow Taiwanese citizens to visit the US for up to 90 days for tourism or business without having to apply for a visa.
Ambassador Ping Fu Hou says this could become an opportunity for Dominican Republic to attract Taiwanese visitors on a trip to the US. Taiwanese citizens could be encouraged to combine a vacation in the Dominican Republic, too.
The US Migration authorities are considering the visa-free travel request by the Taiwanese government and this is expected to be approved before the end of the year.
In just three years and with only 23 formal diplomatic allies, Taiwan has secured reciprocal agreements for free landing and visitor visas from 114 countries.
Of the 114 countries granting Taiwan visa-free entry, 94 of them maintain formal diplomatic ties with China, but not with Taiwan. The mutual granting of free visitor visas is seen by Taiwan as a big step towards closer exchanges and cooperation between countries, allowing Taiwan’s 23 million people to feel more welcome by the international community, as reported in Taiwan Insight.
This push to help Taiwanese people attain visa waiver status when traveling abroad was initiated by President Ma Ying-jeou soon after he took office in 2008.
In order to break through the diplomatic impasse, and to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China, President Ma asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan to initiate “flexible diplomacy” to replace the former “checkbook diplomacy,” and to actively work with foreign governments to grant Taiwanese visitors free entry visa privileges.
President Ma visited the Dominican Republic in August 2008 and met with President Leonel Fernandez. Taiwan is interested in signing a free trade agreement with the Dominican Republic.