Former Dominican ambassador to the United Nations, Jose Singer Weisinger sees the relations of China and Dominican Republic as a one-sided relationship that merits rethinking. He says the DR has little to show from breaking with Taiwan on 30 April 2018 to establish full relations with China during the second Danilo Medina administration.
In an opinion piece in Acento, he complains that the DR has a bad deal with China. He is most critical that China, a member of the United Nations’ National Security Council, has not voted in favor of the proposal to turn the Kenya-deployed mission in Haiti to a Peace Force with more support from the United Nations. Singer says the positive vote would not cost anything to China. He does not understand the position China has maintained in the Security Council.
The position of the Dominican government has been to back the request by the Transition Council of Haiti that seeks to upgrade the UN mission in Haiti to contribute to the reversing of the control of the gangs.
In his opinion piece, Singer mentions that the rejection of China comes at a high cost to the Dominican Republic, the country that bears the brunt of the multidimensional crisis in Haiti. The collapse of jobs and social services puts immense pressure on migration for people to resolve their pressing needs. For years, the DR has picked up the tab for social services for the Haitian population and the worsening security situation in Haiti is now a heavy burden for Dominican security.
Singer writes:
“Despite a growing commercial relationship between the Dominican Republic and China, the benefits remain significantly imbalanced in favor of the Asian giant. While China has offered some forms of support — such as a few hundred annual scholarships, assistance with the implementation of the 911 emergency system, and the donation of around 100 ambulances—these gestures, though appreciated, pale in comparison to the scale of Dominican imports from China.
“In 2024 alone, the Dominican Republic imported goods worth US$5.2 billion from China, a dramatic 78% increase from the US$2.9 billion imported in 2020. In stark contrast, Dominican exports to China totaled just US$154 million. The disparity is not only economic: in terms of tourism, only 65,357 Chinese visitors arrived in the country.
“This growing trade gap raises important questions about the country’s foreign trade strategy. It may be time to rethink the current model and explore opportunities with other Asian nations such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, or India—countries that have proven to be highly competitive in global markets. Gradually replacing Chinese products with those from these nations, participating in international trade fairs, and diversifying sources of supply could mark the beginning of a more balanced and strategic approach.”
The article was published concurrently with headline news story mentioning that Chinese-owned stores in the Dominican Republic are selling forged brand names. The media has constantly reported on Chinese stores violations of labor and tax laws. Local stores have protested the Customs facilities and lenience in allowing mass Chinese imports.
Read more in Spanish:
Acento
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
25 August 2025