China, Taiwan in battle for Caribbean and Latin American support
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| Published on Thursday, July 12, 2007 |
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GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AFP): Bitter rivals China and Taiwan continued to escalate their battle for support in Latin America, with officials from both criss-crossing the region Wednesday.
The Caribbean and Latin America has become a major battleground for the two rivals with each accusing the other of luring allies away with "checkbook diplomacy."
Beijing on Tuesday cancelled 15 million dollars of debt owed by Guyana, at a ceremony attended by top Chinese and Guyanese dignitaries, including Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Meanwhile, Taiwan's vice president Annette Lu was in Guatemala Wednesday on the second day of a three-day visit as Taiwan shore up its position in the region.
Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war and the two governments have since vied for international recognition.
China considers the island part of its territory awaiting reunification despite their split in 1949 at the end of a civil war.
But defiant Taiwan insists that it is a sovereign state, and is seeking support from the island's Central American allies for its bid for United Nations membership.
Taiwan lost its UN seat to China in 1971 and has failed in annual attempts to rejoin the organization under its official name the Republic of China.
Just 24 countries -- mostly from Latin America, the South Pacific and Africa -- continue to recognize Taipei rather than Beijing.
Lu's trip to Guatemala comes on the heels of a visit to the Dominican Republic, and and to Paraguay where she attended a celebration marking the 50th anniversary of ties with Taiwan.
While in Guatemala, the vice president will get a first-hand look at projects financed by Taiwan and visit the site of a planned petrochemical plant in Puerto Quetzal which would involve a major investment by Taiwanese firms, Taiwanese officials said.
Unlike other countries in the region who only recently established ties to China, Guyana has recognized Beijing since June 1971, one of the longest allies in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Guyana's Finance Minister Ashni Singh told reporters Tuesday that its cancelled loans were taken between 1975 and 1993 for the construction of a brick factory, a duck farm and a textile mill.
"We do still owe China money, in particular there is currently one outstanding loan that's owed to China," said Singh.
The visiting chairwoman of China's Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Gu Xiulian, who was in Guyana for the signing ceremony, also plans to visit Argentina during her swing through the region.
Taipei has vowed to push for a referendum on joining the UN under the name "Taiwan" despite US opposition warning that it might stoke tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
Taipei's campaign is threatened by eroding diplomatic support, especially in Latin America, where Costa Rica, Grenada and Dominica recently have switched allegiance to China from Taiwan.
The World Health Organization last month rejected a fresh bid by Taipei to apply for membership under the name "Taiwan." |
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