The Prime Minister of Taiwan, Vincent C. Siew, will complete his official visit to the DR today. He arrived in Santo Domingo Monday afternoon. Prime Minister Siew heads a 40-member delegation of both Chinese officers and businessmen that are interested in investing in the DR. Included in the delegation are Minister of Foreign Relations Chih Chiang Hu, Minister of Economy Chih-Kang Wang, and Chien-jen Chen, Minister of the Office of Government Information, as well as the president of the Agriculture Council of the Executive Branch Twokwei Peng.The visit has the objective of strengthening traditional friendship ties between the two nations. The DR has always voted in favor of Taiwan in the United Nations and is one of the few nations that maintains formal diplomatic relations despite constant pressure from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to break ties with Taiwan as a condition of improving relations with mainland China.Yesterday the Prime Minister began with a 9:30 am visit with Foreign Relations Minister Eduardo Latorre and Industry and Commerce Minister Luis Manuel Bonetti at the Hotel Quinto Centenario, where the Taiwanese delegation is staying. During the meeting he gave Bonetti a check for US$ 2 million to help the Industry and Commerce Ministry’s Program for Promotion and Assistance to Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (known by its Spanish acronym PROMIPYME). At 10:30 am Siew traveled to the National Congress for a courtesy call on Senate President Ram?n Alburquerque, followed by a 11:15 am meeting with Chamber of Deputies President H?ctor Rafael Peguero M?ndez. He promised both legislative leaders to improve Taiwanese investment in the DR, reinforce Taiwan-DR trade and increase technical and cultural cooperation between the two nations, but stressed that closer ties depended on Congressional support for agreements signed by the Executive Branch. At midday Siew met with Vice President Fern?ndez Mirabal at the National Palace, after which the VP hosted a lunch in the Prime Minister’s honor at the Palace. In Palace ceremonies signing a joint communiqu? reaffirming mutual diplomatic recognition and cooperation, Foreign Minister Latorre announced to the press that Siew had extended a formal invitation to President Leonel Fern?ndez to visit Taiwan. Although no date has yet been agreed, Latorre assured reporters that the trip would occur this year. Latorre also announced that the Taiwanese delegation had expressed interest in opening a commercial bank in the DR.At 4:30 pm Siew visited the Faro a Col?n. At 8:30 pm Prime Minister Siew hosted a dinner in honor of Vice President Fern?ndez Mirabal at the Restaurant Chino de Mariscos on Sarasota Ave.The wives of the visiting delegates, led by the Prime Minister’s wife Su-hsien Siew Chu, yesterday visited the National Children’s Council and the Center for the Prevention of Cancer in order to present donations to those institutions.
