Dominica severs diplomatic relations with Taiwan

Tuesday, March 30, 2004

ROSEAU, Dominica: Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit revealed in an address to the nation Monday that Dominica has severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan for a more favourable agreement with China.

Skerrit's revelation came following speculations here that he and Communication and Works Minister Reginald Austrie had paid a secret visit to Beijing last week. 

The Dominican leader acknowledged leaving his nationals in the dark on the matter, saying ''confidentiality was required because at that time we had formal relations with Taiwan.'' 

''Today we have terminated our formal relations with Republic of China on Taiwan and establish formal diplomatic relations with People's Republic of China. 

''My government in reassessing our external relations came to the conclusion that our policy with respect to Taiwan was based upon unrealistic and fallacious historical interpretation. We have concluded that the clear truth is there is but one China,'' he said in a live address on local radio stations. 

Skerrit said economic reasons and an overhaul of his island's foreign policy led to Roseau giving Taipei the boot after twenty years of relations. 

''My government became convinced that it was necessary in light of changes in world conditions to begin to overhaul our foreign policy as a matter of urgency,'' he said. 

He said his cabinet appreciated the financial assistance from Taiwan but China has promised over US$100 million in grant aid in the next six years. And US$11 million will be given instantly. 

He listed the Windsor Park stadium, the Princess Margaret Hospital - the main health facility, a new high school, university scholarships and the west coast highway as the priority areas to receive assistance from Beijing.

On Tuesday Taiwan in turn severed diplomatic ties with Dominica, the foreign ministry said.

"We have severed official relations with the Commonwealth of Dominica and stopped all financial aid to the country," said foreign ministry spokesman Richard Shih.

China's "dollar diplomacy" had wooed the Caribbean country away and the two countries had established diplomatic ties, Shih told AFP.

This left only 26 countries recognizing Taipei instead of Beijing as the legal government of all of China.

"We condemn communist China for resorting to 'dollar diplomacy' to squeeze our international space when our country was busy with the presidential election," Shih said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit signed a joint communiqué establishing diplomatic ties at the ambassadorial level in Beijing on March 23, China's state Xinhua news agency reported early Tuesday.

Dominica had agreed to recognise the "one China" policy, which says Taiwan is part of China, according to a joint communiqué announced by the Chinese foreign ministry Tuesday.

"The government of the Commonwealth of Dominica recognizes that there is but one China in the world, that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and that Taiwan is an inseparable part of the Chinese territory," it said.

A former British colony, Dominica is located halfway between the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique and has an estimated population of some 76,000 people.

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