In July and August 2024, the Dominican Republic hosted high-ranking missions from Japan, South Korea and China.
In July, President Luis Abinader had hosted the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Akihiko Tanaka at the Presidential Palace. JICA has behind it 60 years of cooperation with the Dominican Republic. The Japan International Cooperation Agency is now collaborating on key issues of transit and other key areas, such as health care, climate change and disaster mitigation. The JICA president Tanaka visited on the occasion of the 68 years of the arrival of of Japanese migration to the Dominican Republic. It was the first time he visited as JICA president.
China
President Xi Ping of China sent Special Envoy Jin Zhuanglong to the Abinader inaugural. Zhuanglong is a long-time Minister of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The MIIT oversees sectors including the Internet, 5G, artificial intelligence, new energy vehicles, big data and other technology industries. He held a bilateral meeting with President Luis Abinader.
The Dominican Republic abruptly severed ties with Taiwan in May 2018 to sign with China during the Danilo Medina government. But despite President Danilo Medina traveling to China for a state visit that he cut short, the Dominican Republic does not have much to show for its relations with China. On the negative side, Chinese migrants have made headlines in the local media for the operation of businesses that are criticized for their violating local labor, tax and city rules, and complaints of local businesses of unfair practices of the Chinese with the complacency of local authorities. In a most recent story on Noticias SIN, a video circulating on social media revealed that a Chinese-owned business in Villa Mella was selling school items with the Inabie label that are destined for free distribution to public school students.
Likewise, there is the story of the Chinese business that invested millions to force a quick sex motel on the Malecon in a residential area where this is banned. The Superior Administrative Court ordered the construction to be paralyzed, and the measure was implemented after the National District government backed down from supporting the project that violated its own rules.
On the plus side, Chinese are said to be the main investors in a leading mining project.
The participation of China in the Dominican Republic contrasts with its participation in other regional countries where it has financed millions in tourism, transportation, extractive metals, agriculture and energy sectors and infrastructure projects.
China has invested over US$10 billion in mainly six Caribbean countries between 2005 and 2022:
•Jamaica: US$3.16 billion
•Guyana: US$3.01 billion
•Trinidad and Tobago: US$2.28 billion
•Antigua and Barbuda: US$1 billion
•Cuba: US$740 million
•Bahamas: US$350 million
South Korea
South Korea also sent a high-level delegation to the inauguration.
President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea who began his administration in May 2022 sent a veteran bureaucrat with decades-long experience in key government agencies to represent him. Kim Dae-ki represented President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea at the inaugural. Kim had served as the first chief of staff Kim Dae-ki. As a special envoy to attend the inauguration ceremony, he delivered to President Luis Abinader a letter from President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea that congratulated the newly elected Dominican Republic President and expressed the Korean President’s interest in collaborating closely with the Dominican Republic. Kim had on agenda meeting with key officials during his trip.
The diplomatic gesture of sending the experienced Korean professional is said to highlight the strong bilateral relations between South Korea and the Dominican Republic, as well as Seoul’s keen interest in fostering global connections and solidifying partnerships with various countries. The attendance by the former chief of staff demonstrates the importance placed on this interaction by the Korean government.
Kim began his career in the Korean government at the Ministry of Economy. He also served as an official in the Presidential Office and was promoted to the senior presidential secretary for economic affairs and then the chief of Policy Affairs.
Korea and the Dominican Republic established diplomatic ties in 1962.
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Government of China
19 August 2024