NewsWhore
10-24-2006, 02:20 PM
Representatives from the Dominican Republic and the Republic of China (Taiwan) began consultations and negotiations today with the intention of signing a free trade agreement between the two nations. The process, which will continue in six rounds of negotiations throughout 2007 will be led by the Taiwanese Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs, Ho-shong Hou and Dominican Ambassador to the ROC, Julio Ortega Tous. Diario Libre reports that the negotiations are the result of an agreement between Presidents Chen Shui-bian and Leonel Fernandez, according to the statement adopted at the end of Fernandez's official visit to Taiwan last July.
Clave Digital reports that the first meeting will take place in Santo Domingo on Tuesday, according to Ministry of Foreign Relations spokesperson Veri Candelario. The announcement of the FTA comes 12 days after PLD officials returned from a 12-day visit to the People's Republic of China, by invitation of the Chinese Communist Party. They visited Beijing and several provinces to study the political and educational systems in mainland China, said the group's spokesman Hector Olivo. The Dominican Republic has diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso said during a television interview last April that relations would be established with Beijing if it were beneficial to Dominicans. Although Taiwan has its own government, Beijing considers the island to be part of its territory and refuses to establish relations with the 25 countries that recognize the ROC. However, mainland China has launched a diplomatic offensive in the DR recently, by establishing a trade office and sending leaders of the Communist Party to visit, said Olivo.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)
Clave Digital reports that the first meeting will take place in Santo Domingo on Tuesday, according to Ministry of Foreign Relations spokesperson Veri Candelario. The announcement of the FTA comes 12 days after PLD officials returned from a 12-day visit to the People's Republic of China, by invitation of the Chinese Communist Party. They visited Beijing and several provinces to study the political and educational systems in mainland China, said the group's spokesman Hector Olivo. The Dominican Republic has diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso said during a television interview last April that relations would be established with Beijing if it were beneficial to Dominicans. Although Taiwan has its own government, Beijing considers the island to be part of its territory and refuses to establish relations with the 25 countries that recognize the ROC. However, mainland China has launched a diplomatic offensive in the DR recently, by establishing a trade office and sending leaders of the Communist Party to visit, said Olivo.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)