Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Taiwan pledges aid to Dominican Republic
07-10-2006

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP): Taiwan will pledge 50 million US dollars in aid to its diplomatic ally Dominican Republic to help build a science park in the Caribbean state, the foreign ministry said Friday.

"The science park is part of Taiwan's long-term cooperation projects with the Dominican Pepublic. It will help our businessmen to expand their global reach and our ally to enhance its competitiveness," said foreign ministry spokesman Michel Lu.

He said the 50 million dollars will be allocated over a period of four years, tying in with the construction schedule of the park.

The announcement came after President Leonel Fernandez of the Dominican Republic, one of the 25 countries that recognize Taipei over Beijing, visited the island last month.

Latin America is one of the major diplomatic battlegrounds between Taiwan and China -- bitter rivals since their split in 1949.

The two have long engaged in a diplomatic tug-of-war in attempts to woo diplomatic allies away from each other with generous offers of economic and financial aid.