Taipei, Aug. 21 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian sought to build closer ties with the Republic of China's diplomatic partners in Central America and the Caribbean Thursday, asking allies in the region to help Taiwan join regional groups in bilateral cooperation to explore the world market.
Chen made the call at the Fourth Summit of the Heads of States and Governments of the ROC, Central America, the Dominican Republic and Belize, which lasted through the day. Presidents, envoys and ranking officials from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Belize took part in the event -- the largest ever sponsored by the grouping to date.
Chen said Taiwan hopes very much to enter the System of Central American Integration as a non-regional member and become a dialogue partner at the planned American free trade agreement area.
Challenged by fierce competition from across the globe, the president said Taiwan has been relentless in seeking globalization by taking part in international and regional organizations, including those based in Central and South America which are of vital importance to Taiwan.
In a bid to boost trade and commercial relations with friendly countries in that part of the world, the ROC government has spared no effort to sponsor investment seminars and provide loans as well as securing legal incentives and encouraging Taiwan businesses to invest there, he said, claiming that all the measures have noticeably paid off.
For instance, exports of seven Central American countries and the Dominican Republic to Taiwan in 2002 rose by 29 percent compared to the 2001 level, while Taiwan investments in those countries have totaled more than US$1.4 billion as of the end of June this year, an indication that two-way links have solidified in recent years, he said.
Looking to the future, Chen said Taiwan is willing to share its development experience with those countries and expressed the hope that more business alliances could be set up, both for the government and private sectors, between the two sides to create a mutually beneficial "win-win" relationship.
With the help and assistance of diplomatic allies in Central America and the Caribbean, Taiwan sincerely hopes to become a non-regional member of the System of Central American Integration and a dialogue partner of the proposed American free trade agreement area, which is slated to take shape in 2005, Chen reiterated.