Managua - Taiwan and Nicaragua have reaffirmed ties during a
semi-official visit by Taiwanese Foreign Minister James Huang to
Nicaragua, one of the few countries that recognizes the South-East
Asian nation, media reports said.
Huang met with Nicaraguan Vice President Jaime Morales Carazo on
Wednesday, in what Morales Carazo characterized as 'a courtesy and
working visit.'
The two reportedly agreed that bilateral relations which started
in 1990 should continue, amid rumours that Taiwan's Central American
allies may be distancing themselves from Taipei.
Although the Taiwanese Embassy did not confirm the minister's
visit to Nicaragua, television showed footage of him and Carazo at
their meeting at the seat of the Nicaraguan Vice Presidency.
The daily El Nuevo Diario reported that Huang said cooperation
will remain on course, but he would not comment on Nicaragua's
abstention from a vote on Taiwan's request to join the World Health
Organization.
The WHO earlier this month rejected the island's bid to join for
the 11th time since its first application in 1997. It was the first
time Taipei had applied using the title Taiwan rather than its
official name, the Republic of China.
Huang's discrete visit allowed Nicaragua and Taiwan to start
negotiating trade and business deals that could be worth more than
470 million dollars, the daily reported.
Taiwan's independence-leaning President Chen Shui-bian has dropped
several hints that he may change the island's official name to
Taiwan, a move strongly opposed by China which claims sovereignty
over the territory.
Huang on Friday will join a meeting of Central American and
Caribbean foreign ministers in Belize, to discuss financial and
political cooperation between Taipei and its seven allies in the
region.
But many ministers may decline to attend and send lower-ranking
delegations in their place, media reports said.
Following the WHO vote, several political sectors in Taiwan
expressed fear that ties with Central America, where it has had great
support, may be getting weaker.
China has warned other countries against recognizing the island as
a political entity with independent sovereignty and has repeatedly
blocked the island from joining international organizations.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
USA
Your Talkback on this Story