President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, has again invited President Danilo Medina and First Lady Candida Montilla to visit their country. The invitation was made through Defense Minister Rubén Darío Paulino Sem, who is on tour in Taipei, Taiwan. The President of Taiwan said that President Medina can visit on the date that is most convenient to him.
The repeated invitation is made again shortly after Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations José Maria Liu was in the Dominican Republic to strengthen ties and bilateral cooperation. During Liu’s visit he did not meet with President Medina. He did met with Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas, Minister of the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo, First Lady Candida Montilla, Education Minister Andrés Navarro, and president of the Senate Reinaldo Pared Pérez.
Taiwan has expressed its concerns that the Dominican Republic may revoke full diplomatic relations with Taiwan and sign an agreement with the People’s Republic of China.
Tsai said that when Vice President Chen Chien-jen attended Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina’s inauguration last year, he was warmly received. She said the close ties between the two countries is also evidenced by Defense Minister Feng Shih-kuan’s trip last August and an upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic by a senior Taiwanese military officer in November.
“The interactions are a sign of the deep friendship between the two countries. It is my belief that the bilateral military ties will see pragmatic and positive developments. I would like to ask Defense Minister Ruben D. Paulio Sem to convey my best wishes and extend my invitation [to the president]. We sincerely welcome President Danilo Medina to visit Taiwan to further strengthen exchanges between the two sides,” said Tsai.
Tsai said that apart from exchanges in trade, commerce, social welfare, infrastructure and medical care, military ties between the two sides are also of vital importance.
The Dominican Republic is one of 12 countries of Latin American and the Caribbean, and one of 21 countries throughout the world, which maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan, and not with China.
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RTI
24 October 2017
