Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

 At 8:30 p.m. on August 15 (8:30 a.m. on August 16, Taipei time), Vice President Chen Chien-jen and his wife attended a banquet hosted at the National Palace by President Danilo Medina of the Dominican Republic.

During the banquet, Vice President and Mrs. Chen shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with President Medina and First Lady Candida Montilla de Medina, and also had an animated conversation with Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, who had visited Taiwan in 2003.

Vice President Chen and his wife had very amiable interactions during the banquet with Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Andres Navarro. Mr. Navarro thanked the Taiwan government for inviting him to take part in the presidential inauguration held this past May, and warmly welcomed Vice President and Mrs. Chen to the inauguration of the Dominican Republic president and vice president. Mr. Navarro also expressed hope that the two countries will continue to engage in cooperation, and can further enhance their official diplomatic ties.

A good time was had by all at the banquet. Among those in attendance were Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, Haitian interim President Jocelerme Privert, Nicaraguan Vice President Moises Halleslevens Acevedo, Costa Rican Second Vice President Ana Helena Chacon, former King Juan Carlos of Spain, and US Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez .